The Scepter of Seth (The Mummy Fanfic Chain 2)
by Movie Fanfic Chains
Summary: Multiwriter. Takes place after TMR & MFC1. Jonathan and Evie find their mother's journals, which leads the gang on a dangerous mission to find an artifact and the truth behind their parents' death. Reading MFC1 not required to enjoy the sequel.
1. Batch 1

**Disclaimer**: We do not own the characters from the movies. Characters not seen in the movies belong to the group as a whole or to one of the group members. Please ask permission before using them.

**Note: **Welcome to the 2nd Mummy Fanfic Chain! You don't have to have read the first Mummy Fanfic Chain to really understand this one. The only thing you might miss from reading this and skipping the first is the background of some of the original characters and some info on an artifact or two, but it shouldn't make too much of an impact. Enjoy, and please remember to R&R each chapter! )

**Note 2**: This story was written years ago by people from all over the U.S. and Canada and many of us were young and/or beginners, so please be gentle with the reviews. We've included the author, their pen name (if applicable) and the date it was originally written. Please R&R! The more Reviews we get, the faster the next chapters will be posted!

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Takes place not too long after The Mummy Returns and soon after the first Mummy Fanfic Chain._

**Marion (****pen name GiantPygmyGirl****) August 24, 2002  
**She could remember the day perfectly if anyone were to ask, and someone just had. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks as her eyes squeezed shut. She let out a small squeal as her breath caught in her throat.

_The seven year-old Evelyn Carnahan sat in her window seat overlooking downtown Cairo- her nose buried in a book. Her lips moved along with the words and presently a small smile took shape on her face._

_"You know, if you keep reading those dreadful books of yours your life is going to whisk by you and you will never be able to look back to find where you got mixed up." Her older brother interrupted, breaking her concentration._

_"And if you, dear brother continue to attend those parties of yours, which you favor so much, you won't have a life to even try to remember."_

_"Well, well, well, Evie, for a girl of only seven years of age you sure do seem to notice a lot."_

_"I don't notice a lot Jonathan, you're just stupid!"_

_"Now, now Evelyn, I was just doing a bit of teasing, no reason to be rude."_

Knock. Knock._ Came the resonant sound from the door in Evelyn and Jonathan's room._

_"Come in!" Evelyn answered giggling, for Jonathan had her rolling on the floor tickling her._

_Their nana stepped in through the door. Her eyes were downcast and she was slouching dreadfully. Her arms hung limply at her sides like two wet noodles, swaying in the slight afternoon breeze._

_"Yes Nana?" Jonathan asked. "What's wrong?" He questioned noticing her posture._

_"Oh, my dear children." She said as she began to sob. "There has been an unfortunate turn of events."_

_Evelyn looked at her brother, and he shrugged his shoulders raising his eyebrows. "What is it Nana?" Evelyn pleaded. "Tell us what's wrong." Her voice was choked to the teeth with panic. Her darling little face was shrouded in dark curls and her breath was coming fast._

_"Your parents are dead my dears!" She covered her face with her hands, shoulders shaking with her cries._

_There was a moment of silence before "You lie!" Evelyn screamed. "It can not be true! You lie! I don't believe you! My parents are on a dig down in Luxor. They will be back tomorrow!" Her tiny frame shook with anger._

_Jonathan stood like a statue behind his sister. The words still sinking into his brain. He could not bring himself to believe the words that his nana had uttered, but somehow, just somehow he knew she spoke the truth. It was as if he had felt their presence's disappear. He knew they were gone, extinguished like a match in a puddle of water. The thought unnerved him. His eyes were drawn to the site before him and Evelyn spoke in slow motion._

_"They're...not...dead! They...can't...be...!"_

_Jonathan stiffly walked over to her and drew her into his arms. "They are Evelyn, you can't deny it, they aren't here any longer. I don't know how I know it, but they aren't, they're dead. Can't you feel it?" She struggled against the fierce hold her brother had on her. Tears began to stream down her face as she screamed. _

_"NO! It's not true, I don't believe you! How can you say that Jonathan? THEY'RE NOT DEAD! Are they?" Every word she spoke cut deeper into his heart, and finally he could not bear it any longer._

_"Evelyn, listen to me. Listen to me!" He screamed in her face. "They're dead!" He looked into her eyes, focusing on her inner strength deep within. _Allah give me the strength to get through this._ Jonathan muttered. He brought his thumbs up to her cheeks brushing her river of tears away. "Oh Evie, don't cry, hush old mum." _

_Evelyn's heart felt like it was being ripped from her ribcage. Her cries were physically tearing her apart. How could her parents be dead? _They were coming back. They would be home tomorrow laughing and talking about their expedition, wouldn't they?_ The unanswered question left her empty and frightened. She flung her arms around her brother and he latched onto her with all his strength. "I love you Evie, we will never part from each other, I promise. I won't leave you. But you must understand they aren't coming back." He said as his own tears began to flow freely, no longer able to be held back by fake boyish strength. Jonathan placed his head on top of his sister's and gave in to his grief shuddering._

_"I am so sorry." Could be heard as Nana backed out of the room. There was a click as the door latched closed, the horrible sounds of two heartbroken children were dimmed slightly by the barrier but could be heard down the hall and in the kitchen where nana retreated to prepare dinner she knew would never be eaten. She shut the door on that facet of her life, pushing herself onto the next. Adinah and Robert weren't coming back. They were gone forever. She choked back another sob as she put the pork onto the griddle turning it slightly. What would happen to the children?_

Evelyn turned to her thirteen year-old son, her face streaked with tears.

"I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to upset you like that. I didn't know how much it would hurt you to remember."

"Oh sweetie, it's ok. I just can't tell you about it right now. Maybe in a little bit, but it still hurts too much." She engulfed Alex in a hug, grateful she was alive to enjoy watching him grow, and praying that it would stay that way forever.

**Penny- August 28, 2002  
**Rick O'Connell watched his wife and son from the doorway of the library. She hugged Alex tightly to her, as if she were afraid her son would disappear, if she let him go.

He thought back to the previous week. Evie found her mother's journal tucked away in a trunk. Since then life at the O'Connell Manor had been turned upside down.

Evie had changed. His Evie, the love of his life. His tough, smart little wife, who once had raised the dead and then sent the bastard back to hell...The mother of his child, who fought tooth and nail, to save their son at Ahm Shere, who after helping her husband save him, was she herself killed and raised from the dead...hadn't blinked once...Now his sweet, lovable Evie was reduced to a sad, forlorn, tearful mess.

And all because of that damned journal! Why? Because he couldn't leave well enough alone. "Common Alex", he had said. "Let's go see if we can find that leak in the attic roof, before we have to build an ark. Go get your Uncle John. We'll need all the help we can get." So all four of them traipsed onward and upward to the attic.

Indeed there was a hole in the attic work. Not a big one thank God. It could be repaired with minimum repair, Evie had said. Then she spotted the trunk. It sat directly under the hole in the roof. Probably in it's heyday it had been brown. Now it was faded to a filthy tan and water streaked.

"Oh no! John! This was Mother's trunk! Help me! Help me move it out from under the hole. There's water dripping on it!"

What had started out as a simple expedition to a known destination, quickly turned to despair for the unsuspecting adventurers, after Evie found the journal. And to make matters worse Jonathan seemed to have been struck with the same melancholia.

Rick continued to watch his wife and son, letting his mind wonder to Jonathan. The man didn't cry openly. No. At least not to where anyone with half a brain could see. But Rick didn't have half a brain. He wasn't someone who just fell off a turnip truck. No sir! Not Rick O'Connell! He had a brain and eyes.

Jonathan would go off and walk the grounds for hours at a time. Then when he came back in his eyes were red and puffy. He hardly spoke two or three words and half the time they were unintelligible.

Some thing had to be done and quick! The O'Connells and the Carnahans were on a downhill slide and picking up speed! Chamberlain's words kept coming back to haunt Rick. It repeated itself over and over in his head like a mantra.

"YOU MUST NOT READ FROM THE BOOK!"

Damn would they never learn?

**Shelby (****pen name Eviefan****) August 30, 2002**  
Always in sleep, Rick held his wife close to him, and this night like so many nights past, he reached out for his wife, his hand meeting only the cold mattress and pillow, an indication that she had not come to bed as she had told him she would. Groggily he opened his eyes and in the dim light saw that it was nearly 3am. Worried, he slipped from bed, going to the dresser on his side of the bed where he found a pair of long pajama bottoms that he put on, then he left their room, going in search of his wife.

On the third floor of their great house, in the room where she had taken the trunk, Evelyn sorted through the items, now dry and safe, that she and Jonathan had salvage. They were the only things left of their parents, now long gone, and she had not realized how deep the hurt still was until she had begun to remember. She knew Alex hadn't meant anything by asking her about his grandparents, and felt regret and sorrow that she had not gotten to know them, that she had not taken the time to tell him about how wonderful they were. Even now thinking about them brought on a fresh set of tears, and she lifted a quilt her mum had made to her breast, clinging to it as she began to cry once more.

It was there in that room, where Rick finally found her, and he didn't hesitate to cross the room to the four-post canopy bed. There he sat and gathered her in his arms, and held her as she cried. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to do something, for all their sakes. "Shh, I've got you," he repeated as he held her on his lap.

"It shouldn't hurt this much," Evie managed as she lifted her face from his bare chest to look into his eyes. She found his love there waiting for her, and she let that give her strength.

In all their years of marriage, they had traveled the world to exotic places, discovering long lost treasures, spending time together, laughing and growing to love one another. Rick had told her all about his childhood in Cairo, and in other orphanages, but had never pushed her to talk about her parents, and decided maybe it was time she faced that time. "Come on. Our room is warmer, and I think maybe we need to talk," he said as he stood her on her own to feet. He stood beside her, and held out his hand and when she took it, they both went to their room hopefully to talk about what had happened that had changed this family's life, and had turned it upside down.

**Lady Pyrrha - September 4, 2002  
**Rick rubbed his hand lovingly over his wife's shoulder, silently willing her to talk but not wishing to push her. Heknew that if she hadn't offered to tell him herself that he would not be hearing the story of her parent's death at all.  
Evelyn took a deep breath. She wondered what in the world had possessed her to finally tell the story. It was just too soon! But no. It had been twenty years since she was just the little girl that had learned of her parents' sudden death. She was married now to the man that she loved more than life itself and had a thirteen-year-old son that was just as precious. Her husband deserved to know.

"My parents were as wonderful as I could ever hope for. However, they were not as home as often as both Jonathan and I or my parents themselves wished to be. It was on one of those excursions, on a dig in Luxor that the horrid happened."

"They died?" Rick inserted after her moment of silence.

Evelyn nodded. A lump had formed in her throat and she was unsure if she could continue. She wasn't sure if she wanted too either. She had never told the story of her parents' death, although she had relived those dreadful days after it many times in her mind. Most of the visions had occurred when she was younger and had stopped long before she had met Rick. However, ever since Alex had asked about his grandparents, she had been having reoccurring nightmares of the same events.

"Evie?" Rick questioned, stroking her long black hair.

"Yes?" she asked, staring down blankly at the comforter on their bed.

"How did your parents die?"

"They... I..." she tried, but her voice broke into a strangled sob. She was unable to continue. The pain was still too fresh. Again, as it had happened with Alex, her mind reverted back to that of a seven-year old girl who had just simultaneously lost both her parents.

_Jonathan sat beside his younger sister, holding her hand in his own. Their nana sat beside them as mourners past them. Some stopped to offer their condolences while others walked by as if the child were not there. Before them lay two closed caskets. Two small signs indicated that one held the body of Adinah Carnahan and the other held the body of Robert Carnahan. Evelyn could not stand to go up to pay her final respects, could not stand to let her parents go. Her brother stayed by her side to offer her company as well as to stay away from the caskets himself._

_"Jonathan," she finally ventured to say._

_"Yes, Evie?" he asked, his voice laced with sadness._

_"How... how did they die" she asked. She had never had the courage to listen before, throwing tantrums too loud for anyone to hear over whenever someone to attempted to tell her before. But now, when faced with the reality of their deaths at their funeral, she needed to know._

_"Are you sure you want to know?" Jonathan asked._

_Evelyn nodded. "I have to."_

**Marion (****pen name GiantPygmyGirl****) September 6, 2002  
**Rick watched Evelyn's face closely, observing the emotions and inner turmoil flit across her face in mysterious shadows of self-doubt. He wished that he could do something for her, something to ease the pain she was going through. But he couldn't, she needed to get through this by herself right now. Her mind needed to accept the change, accept the grief, and most of all accept the truth, however hard and improbable it may be.

_I have to._ The words were still clear in her head. Evelyn could remember the feeling that had coursed through her body when Jonathan had told her the truth. Now she bit her lower lip as she prepared herself for what was to come. "They were murdered Rick. Slain in their sleep by their digging partner Alan Skarzinski. He fled the crime scene and hasn't been seen since. It was horrible, the press were constantly surrounding us, taking their black and white photos of the 'devastated Carnahan children'". She said the last with a bit of a sarcastic air about it.

Rick hesitated. He had not known that her parents had been murdered. He was still curious, however on exactly how they had been killed, but he wasn't sure if he should ask. _Oh well, what that hell? It will be now or later either way._ He reasoned with himself. "Evelyn honey, how exactly were they killed?"

"Hmm? What did you say Rick?" She had been daydreaming again.

"Exactly how were they killed?"

Her eyes lowered and for a moment Rick thought she would burst into the tears she was so prone to as of late. But she did not. Instead she tilted her head towards him, her eyes dark and serious, her red lips twitching slightly. "Well, it's not exactly an exquisite tale." Her eyebrows rose.

"Evie, it's a murder, I didn't quite expect it to be beautiful." He said, his insides laughing as he found humor in her naiveties. He did not smile though because he did not think the occasion warranted it. If he had learned no other thing from his marriage to Evelyn than this he was well off; he had learned how to be serious when the circumstance asked for it, and now was one of those times. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, go on."

Her eyes sparkled as she began to speak, her English and German accents mingling together to form a beautiful mercury-like language. "Alan, a very good friend of my parents, was on the dig in Luxor with them. They were working together to uncover a tomb of some sort. I don't remember exactly what it was they were looking for because I was only seven at the time, but I do know that it had to be of some great importance or else they would not have been there all together.

"The night, according to the natives who happened upon their bodies, was an extremely cold one. The natives had been in search of what we now know to be the Med-Jai, because they had lost their way and needed warmth and guidance. This was how they came to find my mother and father, they saw the glow of a cooking fire in the distance, immediately rushing towards it. Inside they found something they had never wanted to or dreamed of seeing, my parents. They had been crudely wrapped in cut up barley sacks, their blood staining through the coarse material. The natives had reported the scene as soon as they could, but meanwhile they took refuge from the cold of the desert inside my parent's tent by the fire. It was then that they noticed six glass jars, bloodied. Reporters later found these to be the brains, tongues, and hearts of my parents. Rick he mummified them! His motive was that they were too close to the truth, to his truth, to his treasure! They were alive when he did it too because according to the natives the bodies were still warm, and had not turned blue with exposure yet when they arrived. My father's hands were still bound inside the sack, and my mother had tearstains on her face.

"There had been a note left behind though, a note which my father managed to scribble with his hands tied behind his back. This piece of evidence was probably the oddest part of the entire crime. In his handwriting was written: _Dear Jon and Evelyn- we love you dearly, and this is not what it seems. Never give up hope dear ones, we will return for you in due time._ It didn't make any sense when Jonathan told me, Rick. I was so confused and horrified, and disgusted.

"At their funeral I begged him to let me open the caskets, to bear witness of their deaths with my own eyes and he consented. That night, after all the mourners had left Jonathan and I stole into the Funeral Hall in our nightclothes and candles. Slowly we tiptoed forth over the lavish Arab rugs to the caskets, which bore in gold, the names Robert Evans Carnahan, and Adinah Ra Carnahan. Ever so slowly Jonathan pried open the lid. It was if he were already preparing for what came next. He opened the first lid, the lid of my father's coffin and there was a rushing of air and a cool scent of the Moonflower as the ebony top shifted on its hinges. I gasped at what I saw before me. It was not my father, Rick... The man who lay dead, faceless below me, I had never seen, and had no relation to us whatsoever. So shocked was I that I wanted to run from the room, but Jonathan grabbed my wrist, twisting me around to face him and persuaded me to open mum's coffin as well. We reset 'dad's' lid and then opened mum's. Again, the woman lying serene, as if in a deep slumber before us was not our beloved mother. I began to weep then. What had they done with our parents? I was terrified." She shuddered and he wrapped his arms around her, getting Goosebumps himself at the thought of opening up his own parent's caskets. He pulled her close kissing the top of her head.

"Evelyn, why do you suppose they mixed up the bodies?"

"There's only one possible answer Rick. And that is that they were never killed in the first place. It was a cover up for something, I don't know what, but Jonathan and I vowed to each other that very day, one day we would get to the bottom of it all. I think those days, which we dreamed about with a passion then have finally come. I am both depressed and excited, but at the same time apprehensive. This could be our biggest adventure yet!" she said smiling, kissing him slowly. "And it's one that will put our parents to rest forever if they so choose."

"But why Evie? What did they have to hide?"

"That I don't know Rick, but I want to find out..."


	2. Batch 2

Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Lilylynn! Here's the next batch!

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**Penny - September 11, 2002**  
Rick sat in the kitchen alone, sipping coffee and pouring over the journal. He felt like a thief, in the big rambling old manor, glancing nervously at the door, every few seconds. He'd waited for Evie to leave this morning taking Alex to school, before going to the museum. He watched her leave, going down the long tree lined drive and out through the tall iron gate. Giving himself a nod of reassurance he marched up the flight of stairs, straight into the bed room, and he lifted the journal, from inside the night stand.

Now here he sat alone, well almost alone. Jonathan was hiding out in the east wing, hold up in his room no doubt, locked away from all of them. The journal had opened too many old wounds and Rick's questions on the subject only served to pour salt on them. For somewhere in Jonathan's hurt psyche, the child in him not only felt his parents were dead, but they had abandoned him and his sister as well. Because if the bodies in the coffins weren't his parents, where the hell were they?

It was clear he wasn't thinking straight. Especially after that tangent three nights ago, when Rick tried to broach the subject again. Poor Jonathan was a powder keg and Rick was a lit match! He should have just fired a broad side at him and been done with it. But Jonathan blew up none the less. And it wasn't a pretty picture. His eyes went from a tortured, bloodshot blue to a storm cloud gray in a matter of seconds.

"I don't know what the deuces you're talking about, O'Connell!" O'Connell. That should have been Rick's first clue to abandon ship right there. Jonathan hardly ever called him O'Connell anymore, except on those rare occasions when they'd reminiscence, about what Alex called the 'GOOD OLD DAYS', when he referred to Hamunaptra.

"I don't have the foggiest notion where you come up with this dribble!" he'd screamed at Rick. "What the hell business is it of yours, anyway? Where the hell do you get your ideas from? Evie doesn't know what she's talking about!" With that his brother-in-law had stormed out of the library and made himself scarce.

Hopefully, he'd get an answer to the wire he sent a week ago. Maybe then he could figure out where to go from there, to help his family. He took another sip of coffee and grimaced. It was cold. As he got up to refill the cup, the door bell alerted him that someone had come calling at the manor. It wasn't even eight thirty yet. God, he hoped it wasn't Evie! He quickly snatched up the book and opened a cabinet door, found a large pot with a lid and set it inside. Satisfied the book would keep, he went and answered the front door.

The look on Rick's face when he opened the door, went from shock, to surprise, to a frown. He just stood looking at the man, not wanting to ask why he had come, but knowing he had too. "It's not gonna be good is it?" The tall man in turn just shook his head. Rick sighed and opened the door wider so Ardeth Bay could come in.

They sat in the kitchen and Rick poured them each a cup of coffee. Ardeth frowned, looking as weary as he felt. His task had not been an easy one, nor one he would have wished to deliver to any family of the Med-Jai. When he spoke his voice held a deep regret. "I fear I have brought more pain to your home, ahi." He laid two gold wedding bands inlaid with lapis on the table in front of Rick. "We have found the bodies of Robert and Adinah Carnahan. They were placed in a common grave at Luxor." Rick felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. Damn!

Ardeth sighed seeing the look that crossed Rick's face. "We found this item as well." He placed the tarnished gold locket with its broken chain next to the rings.

Rick stared at it and finally picked it up, feeling the cool metal between his fingers. "How do you know..."

"Read the inscription on the back, ahi," Ardeth offered quietly.

Rick swallowed a painful lump and turned the locket over reading to himself. To Adinah, ALL MY LOVE,ALL MY LIFE, Howard.

"Now, open it and look at the pictures and tell me what you see." Experience told him to let it alone. Don't open it. Opening things and reading things always managed to get them in trouble somewhere down the line. Their track record just wasn't that good.

"Rick?" He heard the urging tone of the Med-Jai's voice. "You asked me to help. Please. Look inside."

His hands started to tremble as he pushed a thumb nail inside to pop the clasp. There before him, two small faces smiled for the camera. Two faces he knew quite well. A boy and a girl, although they were no longer children. They were adults, grown. One with a child of her own, who looking at the pictures again, Rick could see Alex in both of them. This was definitely Evie and Jonathan. He sat the locket gently back on the table and ran a hand through his hair. "See?" his conscience told him. "I told you not to open it. Told you not to."

"I trust this is enough evidence, ahi. We have taken the remains to a safe place and will help Jonathan and your wife put them to rest if they wish it, in a place that is suitable."

"How...Ardeth how did you find them? Evie was what? About seven when they died? How did you know where to look after that many years?"

"The Med-Jai know many people, my friend. Contrary to popular belief, we do not shoot everyone we meet," he answered raising an eye brow as if to make a point.

Rick could only grin. "You never change," Rick laughed.

"But you have my friend, there is gray in your hair."

"Hey! Do I poke fun at your robes? Leave my hair outta this!" His grin suddenly was gone. "Alright give. Let's hear it and cut through the chase."

"There was an old man, Aswad Fulana. He worked on the digs with your wife's parents. He knew them very well. Knew the children."

Rick butted in. "Then why didn't he come forward? Why in hell wait till now?"

"He was afraid for his life and he was afraid for the lives of Evelyn and Jonathan. You see, right after we found him, he was murdered."

Rick took a deep breath. Yeah, he thought. Books, puzzle boxes, chests, and lockets were definitely not going to be on his Christmas list this year.

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan)****September 25, 2002**  
Long after Ardeth had gone, Rick remained in the kitchen sitting at the table looking down at the locket. He now had one answer, which solved the mystery of where the bodies of his wife's parents had been put, but there were also more questions. More than anything else he wanted to find out what had become of Alan, and possible find him and make him answer to the murders, which had hurt his wife and brother-in-law so deeply.

Not so far from the O'Connell home, in the huge building which was known as the British Museum, Evelyn sat in her office with the door shut and locked. The beautiful young woman sat deep in thought, transported back to the time after her parents had died, a time of great pain for she and her brother, Jonathan.

_A day had passed since the funeral, and Evelyn had refused to leave her room. In the safety of her room, a place filled with shelves of books, dolls and other toys for a young girl, she sat on her floor holding the locket her parents had given to her a few weeks before they had gone to Egypt._

Evelyn had been upset about them leaving, and had been very outspoken about having to stay home in London. "But I can help you and father," she said as she sat on the steamer trunk at the end of her parents bed, wearing a white nightgown which hung down to her ankles. Her face was tear stained, as she had been crying since they had told her she and Jonathan would be staying home.

Setting down the dress she had taken from the closet, Adinah walked over to where her daughter sat and knelt down. "Evelyn, your father and I would love to take you with us, but this is going to be a very busy time for both of us. We want you and Jonathan to be well taken care of, and while we are on the dig, that won't be possible," she tried.

Evie sniffed and looked into her mother's eyes. "What if something bad happens to you and father?" she asked. Last night she had dreamed that she had been in the desert, standing on one dune, and her parents standing on another. She had dreamed that the dune they were standing on had swallowed them, and that had left her very frightened.

Sitting beside her daughter, Adinah lifted her up, then held her on her lap. "Nothing will happen to your father and myself. We have been on several digs, and we will be very, very careful," she said trying to reassure her little girl.

Not far from where they sat, Howard watched his wife and his daughter, then made a decision. "Evelyn, I have something for you. You're mum and I were going to give this to you for your Birthday, but I think that perhaps you need this now. From his pocket he pulled out a black velvet box, and walked over to his wife and his little girl, putting it into her small hand.

Carefully, Evelyn opened the box and smiled. Inside the box was a beautiful gold locket. Gently she took it out and opened it finding a picture of her father on one side and her mother on the other. "Oh thank you," she said to both of them. She sat forward and let her mum put the necklace around her neck, then starred down at the two people she loved more than anything in the world.

Time had passed, but the picture's in the locket were the same as the day she had first seen them. At her desk, Evelyn held her locket out looking at her parents. She sighed and closed it up, giving the locket a kiss, then decided it better to get home. Today was not a day for her to try and focus on her work at the museum. She wanted to find answers to the questions which had been plaguing her since her parents death, and it was time to stop putting that off. After gathering her coat, Evelyn left for home, not knowing that some of the answers lay waiting for her, in the hands of the man who she had been destined to love through centuries, a man who had saved her life more times than she could count. Thinking about her husband, Evelyn let a smile form on her face, and as she drove to the house, she was ready to relax and let his love once again ease her pain.

**Lady Pyrrha - October 6, 2002**  
Unfortunately for Evelyn, the man who she hoped would bring her comfort could do no such thing. As she walked in the door, he looked up and his hand quickly closed over whatever he held. He gave her a small, forced smile, but her gaze stayed on his hand.

"Rick?" she asked, walking around the kitchen table to stand before him. "What's in your hand?"

"Hi, honey. You're home early," he said instead of answering her question. He stretched his arm across the table, hoping to keep his hand away from her.

"Yes, I couldn't think at the museum, so I just came home. Now, what's that?" she demanded, pointing at his fist.

Rick sighed. He had been in no hurry to tell his wife about her parents, and he had even less of a desire to show her what he held. "Maybe… maybe you should get Jonathan," he stalled. He knew that he would have to tell her, no matter how much he hated to. She so believed that since her parents hadn't been in those coffins that they had to be alive. It hurt him to be the one to prove her wrong.

"This is serious, isn't it?" she asked, her eyes widening. "What do you have?"

"Evie, go get your brother. I'll tell you both together."

Evelyn nodded, leaving the kitchen and her husband to find Jonathan. Whatever news Rick had, it could not be good. She could tell from his voice. And a small sense of dread forming in the back of her mind made her suspect that it had something to do with her parents.

No more than fifteen minutes had elapsed when Evelyn was back in the kitchen with the remains of her adult family. She sat at the table next to Rick while Jonathan leaned against the doorframe.

"This had better be good," he said in a hoarse voice.

Rick cleared his throat, then began to speak. "I, um, Ardeth stopped by this morning."

"Really? How is Ardeth?" Evelyn asked.

"He was fi-"

"Oh, cut to the chase," Jonathan snapped. "Why was he here? It's never for a good reason," he muttered more to himself than to the couple at the table.

"He came to tell me that they'd found your parents."

"What?" Jonathan asked. Hope swelled in Evelyn's chest, but Rick's next words cut it away from her.

"They were dead; buried in a common grave in Luxor."

"No!" Evelyn shouted. "It can't be them! Ardeth never met them and after so many years the bodies would be unrecognizable! It can't be them, it just can't."

"Evie," Rick said, his eyes sympathetic. "He brought these."

He opened his hand for the siblings to see the two matching wedding rings and the locket that Ardeth had delivered. Evelyn stared at them, unable to say anything else while Jonathan cursed angrily.

"The rings are theirs; the inscription," he said, starting to hand them to his wife, but she ignored them. She hung her head, silent tears coursing down her face.

"Evie," Rick whispered her name. He placed the golden objects on the table and wrapped his arms around her, finally comforting her for different reasons than she had originally intended.

Behind him, Jonathan picked up one of the rings, reading the inscription inside that Rick had mentioned. It did indeed read as he always remembered. Once, when he was small, his mother had shown it to him after a particularly bad dream.

"We'll find that man, Evie," Rick said softly, nuzzling her hair. "We'll make him pay for this."

"By Jove, we will," Jonathan seconded, his hand tightening around his mother's ring.

**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) October 17, 2002**  
Evie placed her right hand over Jonathan's closed fist. "Jonathan, please do calm down. I know it hurts, but you are not alone. My heart longs for them also. We need to be here for each other. Please don't close me out."

Jonathan's features softened and he opened his fist as he looked at his sister. He sighed. "I'm sorry old mum. As your big brother, I feel I should be comforting you and I get angry that their death still has such a strong effect on me."

He took Evie's hand and placed their mother's ring on the ring finger of her right hand. He picked up his father's ring and turned it in his hands, then placed it on the ring finger of his right hand.

Jonathan smiled and looked to his sister. "Well fancy that. They're the perfect fit." He looked down at his father's ring on his hand and felt a closeness to his parents knowing that they had cherished the rings symbolizing their love almost as much as they had cherished their children.

"Well, let's get to work and try to figure this out." Rick got up and retrieved the journal from the cabinets.

When he turned back towards Evie, her arms were crossed and she was giving him 'the look'. "What?" He asked innocently. "I only took it to see if I could find anything that would help us figure this out."

The hours ticked by as Rick, Jonathan, and Evie began reading each page of the journal looking for any clues. They only stopped twice; once to pick up Alex from school, and also for dinner. It was now nearing midnight. Alex had long gone to bed and they hadn't found much in the journal so far.

"I think that's enough for tonight," Rick said standing up. "Tomorrow's Sunday, so we'll have the whole day to do some more research. We need to be fully awake for this."

Jonathan nodded his agreement and stood up from the table stretching and Evie followed suit. "Right you are chap."

They headed out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. "Where are you going?" Evie asked when she noticed Jonathan pass the stairs.

"Just getting myself a nightcap, then I'll be off to bed."

Evie nodded and she Rick started up the stairs with their arms around each other. They barely made it up five steps when they came to an abrupt stop and turned as they heard a knock at the door. Jonathan emerged from the parlor with glass in hand.

"Who on earth could that be? It's nearly midnight!" Jonathan asked putting down his glass and heading to the door.

"Wait, Jonathan. Evie, stay out of sight." Rick let go of Evie and headed back down. He pulled a gun out of the drawer of the table in the entry, handed it to Jonathan, and pulled another gun out for himself. The two men crept to the front door. Rick signaled for Jonathan to stay against the wall, in the shadows to the left of the door. Jonathan nodded. Rick opened the door partially, keeping his hand with the gun hidden.

"Forgive me sir for intruding at such a late hour but we must keep this meeting a secret. I have some information about the Carnahans."

A harmless old frail man stood there with eyes darting around looking for anyone that may have followed him.

Rick opened the door wider. "Come on in."

The old man entered and Rick gave a quick look around outside before closing and locking the door. "Follow me. We'll talk in the parlor."

They each took a seat in the parlor and the old man began speaking. "Where to begin…" he mumbled to himself and looked up at the three questioning faces. "Forgive me. I have not introduced myself. I am Charles Sonderburg."

"Welcome to our home Mr. Sonderburg. I'm Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell, this is my husband Rick, and my brother Jonathan Carnahan. I believe I heard you say you have some information about my parents?"

"Ah, so that much is true. Aswad mentioned the Carnahan's having a boy and girl," he smiled and looked at the confused faces. "Let me explain myself. You see, I was a caretaker for Aswad. A few months before his murder, he was diagnosed as having a mental illness, most likely from being a witness to something traumatizing that had taken place in his past. It seems in his old age, he could not suppress the images any longer. His doctor had sent me to be a live-in and to care for him. He would ramble on and on for hours about different adventures he had been on. Then, there were times he would seem to go farther from sanity, claiming he kept seeing a man from his past spying on him and hunting him. I finally got the name of this so-called spy of his imagination and looked up the information on him. It seems the man he spoke of died nearly a decade ago. Aswad kept insisting he was seeing him, and so I brought him to the graveyard to show him, that it couldn't be and that he was safe. Sure enough, the name of the man he spoke of was engraved on the tombstone where I found out it would be. I thought seeing the tombstones would help him to come to his senses, but I fear I made his mental state worse. He kept insisting, claiming that it must then be the ghost of that man."

Jonathan interrupted, getting impatient that an important detail was left out. "What was the name on the tombstone?"

Charles thought as he scratched his head. "I can remember where the tombstone is, but the name escapes me. I believe it was something like Albert Skor…er Skar…"

"Alan Skarzinski?" Evie supplied.

"Yes! That's the man! So you have heard of him." Charles began searching his pockets. "I've brought some letters and such that Aswad had in his possession." He continued patting pockets in his shirt and jacket. "I figure they may be of more use to you than the safe they were placed in." He checked the last of his pockets. "Oh blast it. I left them in the safe. I fear my memory is not as good as it used to be. I've also been a bit preoccupied and jumpy since Aswad's murder."

"It's quite all right, Mr. Sonderburg," Rick stood up and held out his hand. "We appreciate you helping us out. I think it'd be best if we all get a good nights sleep and meet up again tomorrow. You can bring everything then."

Charles stood and shook Rick's hand. "That would be splendid. When and were shall we meet?"

"How about the museum?" Evie asked. "We can use my office to continue this conversation. How does 10 a.m. sound?"

"That would be just fine Mrs. O'Connell. I'll be there at 10 a.m. sharp with the letters and such." He bowed to her and shook Jonathan's hand. "Good night, Mr. and Mrs. O'Connell; Mr. Carnahan."

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_Please review. :)_


	3. Batch 3

_**Moderator Apology:**__I'd like to apologize for the ridiculously long wait for the next batch. Things were crazy for me as the company I was working for was spiraling downward and finally shut down. I'd been busy doing temp jobs and have finally found a place I fit for long term and things have settled down, so I'm back and will be updating this story and the website often._

_**Note:**__We have this story completed but I'll be waiting for a new review or two before posting the next batch. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Penny - November 6, 2002**  
At precisely 8 a.m. a black Beauford pulled up in front of the museum and stopped. The driver side and back passenger door opened at the same time. Rick O'Connell, glanced at him wife before climbing out from behind the wheel. He saw Jonathan pull her door open and wait for her to exit, but she just sat there, playing with the handle on the attaché case in her lap. She worried the corner of her bottom lip with her teeth, as she usually did when she was worried or frightened or nervous about something.

"Hey, Hon," he said, giving her his best lopsided grin. "It'll be okay. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

Evie raised her eyes to look into the face of the man she loved. That silly grin always put her at ease and she returned it with a smile of her own. "And you say I'm the charmer, Mr. O'Connell."

"What can I say?" he grinned again and bent forward to kiss her.

"Oh puleeze!" Jonathan grumbled, "Can't we just get on with it?"

Rick pulled away from his wife, cocking an eyebrow. Again he grinned at his wife and sent a comment of his own, to his impatient brother-in-law. "No need to get your knickers in a twist, Jonathan. We're comin'."

Five minutes later they sat in Evie's office waiting for the kettle of water to heat for tea. Well, two sat anyway. Evie was ensconced behind her desk, Rick sat on the window sill watching the street and Jonathan paced the room. "You know...you keep doing that and they're gonna have to replace the carpet in here," Rick offered, watching Jonathan out of the corner of his eye.

"What bloody time is it, anyway?" he snapped.

"Look up at the wall and find out."

"Alright you two. If I thought you both were gonna come here to snap at each other, I would have left you home," Evie told them.

Jonathan instantly looked contrite. "Sorry, old mum." He looked over at Rick then, who still watched out the window. At first Evie thought he'd say something to Rick, but he didn't, so she didn't press the fact. It just hurt to think, that since this whole thing had started Jonathan and Rick's friendship seemed to suffer.

Ten o'clock came and went without any fanfare. Ten-thirty, Eleven o'clock, Eleven-thirty, Twelve and still no sign of Charles Sonderburg. By now Rick and Jonathan were both antsy, both starring out the window with their heads together and whispering. No doubt plotting something. Rick said something, Jonathan nodded and Rick picked up the phone on her desk and dialed a number. The message was cryptic. "I need you...Meet me out front...Ten minutes." He kissed Evie on the forehead and told her, before she had a chance to ask what he was going to do. "Stay put," then turning he and Jonathan headed out the door.

"RICK!"

"Stay here!"

She went to the window and wished she hadn't when she saw him lift the trunk lid and pull out the Colt and check it's chamber. "What are you getting into now?" she whispered.

Fifteen minutes later the Beauford pulled up in front of a stately old Victorian home lined with English Oaks on Broadmore. Rick and Jonathan climbed out of the front and Ardeth exited the back. "Okay, he was supposed to show at ten," Rick said again for the umpteenth time, as he slid the gun inside his waistband. "Last night when he came to the manor, he was pretty jumpy. Something had him spooked."

"I remember speaking with him in Cairo, after the old man's murder and he was upset then. He told me he was returning to England, that he had to visit someone, but he didn't say it was your family," Ardeth told him.

"Let's face it, old chap," John piped up," If I didn't know you from Adam, with that perpetual frown on your face all the time and you came asking me questions about a dead man, one that I might add was murdered, I don't think I'd tell you anything either!" To prove Jonathan's point, Ardeth scowled at him and walked off to follow Rick up the steps. "See! See! I rest my case!"

Rick knocked on the large door and stopped dead when it swung slowly open with a creak, to reveal a darkened interior. "Dammit, this is not good." Instinct said, 'Back away. Go home. Uh-uh. Nope. Not today buddy.' As he pulled out the Colt and cocked the trigger, he knew this was one of those days, when not paying attention, was going to land him in trouble. "Knock! Knock! Anybody home?" Even to him it sounded lame. "Man I hate this! You two stay behind me." Then he grumbled under his breath," I don't wanna accidentally shoot Jon. Evie would really get mad then."

"And so would he," came the British accent from behind.

"You keep talking chucklehead, and I just might make an acceptation in your case. Now pipe down," he half hissed as he crossed the threshold. The outer hallway was dark, due to the heavy draperies. How anyone could live with out sunlight was beyond him. Not to mention it was musty in here. The place needed a damned good airing out he thought. The place reeked. Reeked? Instinct Number Two. ALWAYS Obey Instinct Number One. "DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!"

"What?" came two voices in unison.

"Take a whiff. That ain't Sunday pot roast!" He took another step forward, slipped in the dark and cussed as he went sprawling to the floor. "Dammit to hell!"

Ardeth knelt by his side. "Are you alright, ahi?"

"Yeah, what the hell was that," he asked half jokingly, "The body?"

"Ah...ah..." was just about all Jonathan could get out.

Rick knew by the shock in Jonathan's voice that, that was exactly what it was. "Sonderburg?"

"Uh...huh."

"Jonathan, stay there. Ardeth, see if you can find a damned light switch and close the front door! We don't need the neighborhood coming by to drop in for tea and cookies," Rick growled. Then under his breath he mumbled, "I don't think our host is in the mood to bake any today."

Once the door was closed and Ardeth flipped on a switch, Rick wished he hadn't. There was an audible gasp from Jon and Ardeth had come to a complete stand still. Still sitting where he had fallen, Rick looked up into their faces, who were now looking at him and back to the body. Not once had he looked for it when the light came on, there would be time to do that, once he was up. He turned slowly and almost put his hands on the floor. It took his mind only a second to register what he saw. "Uh-huh! Ardeth! Give me a hand here! NOW PLEASE!"

Ardeth reached down and clasped Rick by the forearm and pulled. "You still have it all over your hands," he told Rick.

"And...on your...pants..." Jonathan stammered. Poor Jonathan looked like a new sheet.

Rick looked at his hands then and his pants. Blood! "Great. Just great! Look I gotta get this off. I can't...I'll..." he walked farther down the hall. "Where is the damned kitchen!" He disappeared and came back a short time later to find that Ardeth and John had also disappeared. "Okay, you guys, this is not funny. Where the hell did you go?" He listened for a minute and heard muffled voices, off to his right, behind a heavy oak door. "The place looks like a bloody bomb went off in here! What the duce do you suppose they were looking for?"

Jonathan seemed to have gotten over his shock pretty well. Probably had a lot to do with the placement of the body, in relation to Jonathan. He was in there and Sonderburg was out here. Rick looked at the body and shrugged, "Hey. No offence but, I'm with Jon on this one." He turned the knob and went inside.

The room indeed looked like a bomb went off inside it. Pictures hung at odd angles, drawers had been pulled out, papers scattered everywhere, furniture over turned and the cushions ripped to shreds. Somebody was looking for something and Rick knew what it was. The papers and letters Sonderburg was going to give Evie! These guys were thorough and he bet the rest of the house looked just like this. Well, that was that, he thought. Another dead end. Hell.

"What the...BLOODY HELL!"

Rick and Ardeth both looked at Jonathan in time to watch him get his feet tangled in a Persian carpet and go sprawling ass over tea kettle to the hardwood floor. Rick knelt on one side, Ardeth on another. "Are you alright, Jon?"

He looked up at Rick, aggravation in his eyes. "Hell of a place to put a rug, I must say."

"It could have been worse," Rick shrugged. "Could have been Sonderburg."

Jonathan paled once again and swallowed with a nod to his head.

"Rick. Look."

He and Jonathan both turned their heads to look at Jonathan's feet. "Is that what I think that is?" Rick asked.

"By Job, it a floor safe!" Jonathan exclaimed, crawling the short distance. "And look, it hasn't been opened."

What Rick was thinking would get them tossed in the big house, but what the hell? In for a penny, in for a pound. "Jonathan you think you can open it?"

Jonathan looked at him, like he'd sprouted another head. "ARE YOU DAFT?" he squeaked.

"Look, Sonderburg was going to bring those letters and papers this morning right? The ones that belonged to Aswad what's-his-name? What if this Skarzinski was looking for them and he couldn't find them, so he killed the old man. And what if, he had them hid here in the safe? Look Jon, you said yourself the safe wasn't open. What if they're still in there? The question is, Jon...Who is going to benefit more from them? You and your sister or Skarzinski?"

Ten minutes later the safe was open. "There's nothing in here but an old journal and a couple old bonds and WHATS THIS? HELLO!" Jonathan said pulling out an old leather wallet. He opened it up and a picture fell out. He picked it up and looked at the couple and the baby in the woman's arms. He squinched up his nose and handed it to Rick, saying, "Homely little bugger, isn't he? I fancy they tied a lamb chop around his neck to get the dog to play with him."

Rick looked at the picture of the young couple for a minute and put it back in the wallet and slipped it inside the journal. He was disappointed the safe hadn't yielded more, but maybe there was something in the journal that might help. "Let's get the hell outta Dodge, boys and girls. Time to go." He stood up and slipped the journal in his back pocket. "Jonathan close the safe and pull the rug back over it. Ardeth cut the light on the way out."

When they opened the door, they were surrounded by Bobbies. Someone had called the law. And there stood Rick O'Connell, his hands in the air, gun tucked in his waistband, and blood on his pants and the GOODS stuffed in his back pocket. Always, always pay attention to your instincts, his conscience told him.

What seemed like an eternity later, when in reality it had only been two hours, all three of them had been turned loose! When Rick had gotten the courage to ask why, he had been told there was a witness to Charles Sonderburg's murder, who had cleared the trio of any involvement. They were free to go. They gave Rick back his gun and the journal. One Bobbie told him he could keep the pants, and that there was a good cleaner over on Purdue, if he decided he didn't want to throw them out.

**Sheri L (pen name Lucky Fannah) December 11, 2002**  
Leaving the police station, not a word was spoken in the car. Jonathan had had enough and his temper was out of control. His fists were knotted and clenched at his sides and he struggled to remain calm. Finally, he could take it no longer.

"Bloody hell!" "How long did we sit in that damn cell ... 2 1/2 hours? CRIKEY! We need to find this Skarzinski fellow and fast!" Jon began to chew the fingernail of his right thumb.

Rick and Ardeth both sighed in unison. "Just where do you suppose we should start looking, Sherlock?" Rick said, beginning to lose his cool.

Jonathan raised his voice to be heard over Rick's. "We START by taking a left turn right here and picking up my sister from the museum!" "Did you bloody well forget already?"

Rick almost slammed the brakes on to stop the car. Instead, he continued down the road, only slower so he could glare at Jonathan in the back seat. Beside him, in the passenger seat, Ardeth placed a steadying hand on Rick's shoulder.

"Don't snap at me, Mr. Carnahan!" Ardeth and I are trying to do all we can to help you and Evelyn here, got that buddy?"

Jonathan slammed his fist into the seat of the car, but he did not say another word till they picked up Evie and returned to the house.

Once there, Jonathan asked Evie for the journal. Pacing as he did so, Jon combed the journal for any sign of a clue. Then Rick walked up to him and snatched the book out of his hands.

"Why the hell did you go and do that for, O'Connell?" Jonathan hadn't called Rick O'Connell in over 10 years, at least!

"You are driving me absolutely out of my mind! Now go sit down!" Rick placed his hand on Jonathan chest, as if to force him into a seat.

Jon pushed Rick's hands away with a jerk and his eyes lit up with fire. "I AM NOT A DOORMAT! DON'T THINK YOU CAN COME IN HERE AND WIPE YOUR BOOT PRINTS ON ME!"

Then Jonathan turned quickly and headed up the stairs. Jonathan's eyes began to sting. He had never become that angry with his brother-in-law, until now. He was ashamed and appalled at his reaction to all of this going on around him. _I have to get out of here,_ he thought.

Rick, Ardeth, and Evie all stood in shock as they listened to Jonathan's footsteps climbing the three flights of stairs to his third floor suites. Evie's voice broke and she began to cry. "I've never seen him like this before. I think I'm losing him, Rick!"

Jonathan came back down the stairs in a blur. He ran out of the house, down the gravel driveway and out into the street, oblivious to his surroundings. He didn't hear the car speeding towards him until it was too late.

Jonathan looked up and saw the grill work on the front of the car. He managed to cry out as he jumped up in the air pulling his knees in close to his chest. This Olympic caliber leap saved his life, as he came down on the backside of the car, tucking and rolling into the ditch.

Everyone inside the Carnahan-O'Connell home came running out into the street when they heard Jonathan's scream. Jonathan was lying face down in the ditch, trying to get his breath back that had been forced out of his lungs.

Jonathan tried to make it to a standing position, but clutched his shoulder in pain. Still, he managed to wipe enough mud off his face to see his family come running towards him. "Bloody hell!" "Just look at my clothes!"

Rick started to look Jonathan over, trying to find any other damage than to his clothes. Rick grabbed onto Jon's right arm and helped him stand. Jonathan batted his hands away, then yelped in pain while moving his left arm. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Looking, damn it! Hold still!" Rick looked suspiciously at the cut over Jonathan's eye that Jonathan kept rubbing.

"Damned mud's all over me!"

"Got some bad news ol' buddy. That's not mud you're rubbing off. That's blood."

"BLOODY HELL!"

"Yep, that's about right," Rick nodded. "And I'd say it's gonna take about five stitches to close it up too."

"What happened, sadiq?", Ardeth asked.

Jonathan was livid, but clearly in pain. "Bloody damned car came out of nowhere and the buggar tried to run me down!", he fumed.

Then Ardeth reached out and touched Jon's left shoulder and Jonathan stepped back away from the pain, nearly falling down into the ditch all over again. "Ungh! I think it's my shoulder."

"Don't snap at me, Mr. Carnahan!" Ardeth and I are trying to do all we can to help you and Evelyn here, got that buddy?"

Jonathan slammed his fist into the seat of the car, but he did not say another word till they picked up Evie and returned to the house.

Once there, Jonathan asked Evie for the journal. Pacing as he did so, Jon combed the journal for any sign of a clue. Then Rick walked up to him and snatched the book out of his hands.

"Why the hell did you go and do that for, O'Connell?" Jonathan hadn't called Rick O'Connell in over 10 years, at least!

"You are driving me absolutely out of my mind! Now go sit down!" Rick placed his hand on Jonathan chest, as if to force him into a seat.

Jon pushed Rick's hands away with a jerk and his eyes lit up with fire. "I AM NOT A DOORMAT! DON'T THINK YOU CAN COME IN HERE AND WIPE YOUR BOOT PRINTS ON ME!"

Then Jonathan turned quickly and headed up the stairs. Jonathan's eyes began to sting. He had never become that angry with his brother-in-law, until now. He was ashamed and appalled at his reaction to all of this going on around him. _I have to get out of here_, he thought.

Rick, Ardeth, and Evie all stood in shock as they listened to Jonathan's footsteps climbing the three flights of stairs to his third floor suites. Evie's voice broke and she began to cry. "I've never seen him like this before. I think I'm losing him, Rick!"

Jonathan came back down the stairs in a blur. He ran out of the house, down the gravel driveway and out into the street, oblivious to his surroundings. He didn't hear the car speeding towards him until it was too late.

Jonathan looked up and saw the grill work on the front of the car. He managed to cry out as he jumped up in the air pulling his knees in close to his chest. This Olympic caliber leap saved his life, as he came down on the backside of the car, tucking and rolling into the ditch.

Everyone inside the Carnahan-O'Connell home came running out into the street when they heard Jonathan's scream. Jonathan was lying face down in the ditch, trying to get his breath back that had been forced out of his lungs.

Jonathan tried to make it to a standing position, but clutched his shoulder in pain. Still, he managed to wipe enough mud off his face to see his family come running towards him. "Bloody hell!" "Just look at my clothes!"

Rick started to look Jonathan over, trying to find any other damage than to his clothes. Rick grabbed onto Jon's right arm and helped him stand. Jonathan batted his hands away, then yelped in pain while moving his left arm. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Looking, damn it! Hold still!" Rick looked suspiciously at the cut over Jonathan's eye that Jonathan kept rubbing.

"Damned mud's all over me!"

"Got some bad news ol' buddy. That's not mud you're rubbing off. That's blood."

"BLOODY HELL!"

"Yep, that's about right," Rick nodded. "And I'd say it's gonna take about five stitches to close it up too."

"What happened, _sadiq_?", Ardeth asked.

Jonathan was livid, but clearly in pain. "Bloody damned car came out of nowhere and the buggar tried to run me down!", he fumed.

Then Ardeth reached out and touched Jon's left shoulder and Jonathan stepped back away from the pain, nearly falling down into the ditch all over again. "Ungh! I think it's my shoulder."

Penny - December 11, 2002

Inside the library, Jonathan sat on the huge overstuffed couch, his left arm in a sling and a gauze bandage above his eye. He looked like he had been in a war and lost but, the look on his face said he'd go back for more, if he ever found the blighter behind the wheel of car that sent him rolling into a ditch. Evie poured him a cup of tea, to which Rick added a healthy shot of Glenlivet.

She frowned at her husband, but he waved it off. "He deserves it, after what the doctor put him through, pullin' that shoulder back into place, and stitches on top of that. Hell, that's just adding insult to injury if you ask me. I'd still be rolling around on the floor," he grinned at her and picked up the cup. "Look at it as a medicinal painkiller." When she continued to frown he winked at her and turned toward Jonathan.

"Here, drink this, doctor's orders."

Jonathan took the cup and wrinkled up his nose when he saw the tea. "No, thank you," he said, pushing it back in Rick's direction.

Rick curled up his lip at the sarcasm. "Just smell it, Lunk Head! Then if you still don't want it, we'll know there's something wrong with your head!"

Jon eyed him suspiciously and looked down at the cup. He took a sniff. "What is it?"

"Peace offering. Take it or leave it. Your choice."

Jon took a tentative sip. Then another. "Thank you." He leaned back against the couch settling into the cushions and continued to take small sips, as if the shock of the days events and the attempted hit and run were beginning to take their toll on him.

Evie picked up a crocheted afgan and laid it over her brother's lap. "Darling, why don't you let Rick and Ardeth help you upstairs, so you can rest. Let them put you in the second floor guest room. That way, you're just down the hall and not up on the third floor."

"It'll save you the extra climb, ol' buddy," Rick offered. He could see Jonathan's eyelids getting heavy and knew it was just a matter of time, till Jon was as limp as the afgan on his lap.

"Be fine here," he mumbled as the tea cup began to lean at a dangerous angle.

Rick reached over and gently removed it from his hand and grinned, hearing the soft snores. "Sleeping Beauty it out for the count," he announced. "Hey Ardeth, give me a hand with this sack of turnips, huh?" He pulled a very limp Jonathan to a sitting position and chuckled, "I've seen pate with more life than this."

Ardeth frowned at the word. "Pa...pate? What is that?"

Rick grinned even bigger. "Ground up, goose liver. You put it on a cracker and eat it."

Ardeth looked appalled. "_LA_!(no)"

"'Fraid so," he laughed.

"You eat this?"

"Not this Kid! Not ever! Give me a steak and potatoes any day!" He looked down at Jonathan who was beginning to lean toward the floor. "You take south and I'll take north."

Ardeth nodded and in fifteen minutes they had Jon in the second floor bedroom and tucked in. "Well, he should sleep the rest of the night, God willin' and the creek don't rise."

Ardeth wasn't sure if he would ever get used to Rick's colorful vocabulary, but maybe some things were better left unknown, he decided as they left the door ajar and went back down to the library. They had been friends and brother Med-Jai too long for Ardeth to start questioning him now. Usually whatever Rick said, made sense in  
it's own way. At least to him anyway, rather it made sense to anyone else, was another matter altogether.

Back in the library, they sat over coffee and sandwiches, Evie had been busy fixing, when they had carried Jonathan off to bed. They poured over the journal for hours, yielding nothing really, but names and places. Jon and Evie's parents, Sonderburg, somebody by the name of Christopher and Caroline O'Malley, and Allan Skarzinski. As far as places it mentioned Thebes, Luxor, Karnak, Cairo and even a place that still sent shivers down Rick's spine just thinking about the damn place. Hamunaptra! "Great," he thought to himself, "MORE DAMN BOOKS!" He suddenly had the urge to ask his beautiful wife as she translated Aswad's Arabic into English, that if she didn't believe in curses and fairy tales and hokum, WHY THE HELL DID THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BE SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DUNG HEAP?

He saw the look in her eye before she even spoke and felt the dread in his stomach clench tight. He knew what was going through her head. "Evie? NO!"

"Then stay home. Jonathan and I can manage on our own." He glanced at the ceiling, thinking of his brother-in-law. "Yeah like he managed all that great today," he shot back.

"Go or stay. Like you told Jonathan earlier. It's YOUR choice!"

Hell, he'd lost the war before the battle even started. They were going to Egypt. Not for a visit or to see old friends or a vacation. NO! They were gonna play Sherlock Holmes and probably get shot in the ass in the process. Weren't they lucky, he thought with a frown. He sighed, knowing there was no way in hell he was going to talk her out of it, once her mind was made up.

"Okay. I'll go to the docks tomorrow and look the _WaSi_ (Guardian) over and you can pack. It hasn't been that long since we sailed her so I imagine all she needs is some of the basics. Oil, petrol, food, water. You know basics," he sighed again. "The rest Hon, you can take care of from here. Passports, Jon, Alex." Then he mumbled, "Flowers for my funeral."

They continued to talk until it grew late and decide to turn in. Ardeth would spend the night and go with Rick in the morning to retrieve his bag from the hotel, where he would stow it on the yacht. They would leave when The _WaSi_ was stocked and ready to go, which Rick said would be about nine.

At precisely 3:35, the residents of the manor woke to a loud crash on the first floor. Rick O'Connell grabbing both Colts told his family to stay where they were. He flipped a switch and the down stairs hallway flooded with light. Followed by Ardeth Bay, scimitar in hand they moved cautiously down the stairs. The front door stood wide open and a cold wet night made its way into the manor. Ardeth moved past Rick pushing at the door to close it against the rain and wind. He turned in time to see Rick staring into the library. He too stared in disbelief. It looked like Sonderburg's home, when they had went inside minus the body, thank Allah. Papers, books, furniture and pictures were all in disarray. Whoever it was, was just as through. Nothing seemed untouched.

With hands on his hips, Rick glared at the destruction. "Well this just keeps getting better and better!"

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_Hope you enjoyed! Remember to Review :)_


	4. Batch 4

_**Moderator Note:**__ So much for my previous promise to update often! Things went crazy. Computer crashed, lost the story, another job change, house hunting, buying my first home… life really happened! Thankfully, one of the other writers had a copy and now that life has settled again, I'm going to add a new batch at least once a week and if we receive reviews, I'll update more often._

_I'd also like to mention that three of us who have been writing for The Mummy Fanfic Chain since it all began have talked many times over the years about a third Mummy Fanfic Chain and have a general plot worked out. We even have a couple entries written! If you're interested in joining as a writer, please see the profile page for details._

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**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) December 11, 2002**  
Evie gasped. "My library! What happened to my library?!" Evie squeezed past Rick and Ardeth running to straighten out pictures and pick up items that were laying on the ground.

"Evie, I thought I told you to stay upstairs," Rick shook his head. "Why do I even bother wasting my breath."

Evie ran to her books that were scattered here and there from being thrown off the bookcase. "Oh my precious books!" She began collecting them and lovingly placing them back in order on the shelves.

"Kinda wish they'd been taken. Damn things are a curse," Rick said under his breath.

Evie threw Rick a look that told him he was in trouble. "I heard that. It looks as if they're all still here." Evie turned her back to Rick and faced the bookcase again. A sly grin spread across her face. "That's odd." She put on a straight face and turned to face Rick. "Your metal of honor seems to be missing from it's case."

"WHAT?" Rick ran to the bookshelf and nearly knocked Evie over in his haste. It was still there. What was she talking about? Then he heard Evie caught in a fit of laughter. "Oh you're gonna pay for that!"

Evie gave a half-hearted attempt at running from him but was soon caught up in his arms laughing harder as he began to tickle her. The laughing and joking subsided and they just held each other.

Ardeth watched from the doorway smiling sadly. "It amazes me to see such affection and happiness among such chaos." He gestured with his arms referring to the mess.

Evie stepped out of Rick's embrace and walked to Ardeth placing a hand on his arm. "You miss Nefret, don't you? You know you don't have to stay and help us, Ardeth. You can go back to her. I'm sure she needs you more than we do, especially since she is with child."

Ardeth shook his head and took Evie's hand and squeezed it affectionately before letting go. "I appreciate the offer, but I am needed here. She is still in the beginning stages and besides, Gabrielle is taking good care of her." He smiled reassuringly. "When I return to her, she will most likely be past the morning sickness stages that I grow weary of being blamed for." He chuckled. "That woman has quite an arm on her. I've had to pack away the more expensive breakable things. And, of course, the solid things. Those can hurt and I have the bump on my head to prove it."

Rick laughed. "You think that's bad, just wait until the day the baby wants out. I practically had to clear an entire room of anything that wasn't nailed and tie Evie down! And the curses she sent my way." Rick shook his head and smiled at Evie. "She could have made a sailor blush!"

Evie blushed. "I did no such thing! I was perfectly calm." It was said half-heartedly because she knew as well as everyone else within a mile radius that day that Rick was right. She changed the subject from off of her not so ladylike day of behavior to the serious matter at hand. "What are we going to do about all this?"

"Don't worry about it now. We'll clean it up when we get back," Rick said. "For now, we need to get some sleep so we're not walking into things tomorrow." Rick bent down and righted the table so he could move the things that had landed on the couch onto the table. Evie sat down and Rick plopped down on the couch and gestured to the big chair. "Have a seat and we'll go over a few new plans I have."

Ardeth picked up a round-shaped dark brown wrinkled looking thing with black strands coming out of one side of it that had landed on the big chair then sat. "What in the name of Allah is this?" He turned the object over and his eyes nearly bugged out as he threw it away from him. "Was that a human head or did my eyes deceive me?"

Rick laughed. "No. Your eyes did deceive you." At Ardeth's sigh of relief Rick added, "It was a shrunken human head. But you can call him 'Lucky'." Evie lightly punched Rick in the arm.

Ardeth blanched. "He did not seem like a man who possessed any good luck."

Evie shook her head. "Alex named him. He says Lucky is his little souvenir from the good ol' days. He pocketed it while at The Oasis of Ahm Shere."

Rick shook his head remembering when Alex had proudly shown him his 'souvenir'. He had had much the same reaction. He lightly shook his head to clear it. "Okay. Let's get down to business. Here's my plan."

**Penny - December 12, 2002**  
If any more heat came rolling out of the back seat of the Beauford, the car would probably burst into flames. For the tenth Rick glanced at his irate thirteen year old son in the rear view mirror. "No!" he told Alex. "You are not going this time. Your mom has already talked to your Aunt Maggie and you're going to stay with her till we get back. End of argument, end of discussion."

"But Dad! She's about a million years old! What do I do if she pops off?"

That earned the boy an, "ALEX!" from his mother, who sat in the front seat. "That was uncalled for."

Alex tried to look contrite but, it just didn't have the desired effect on his Mum. "Alex," she warned.

"But it's an honest question! What do I do if she decides to drop over?"

Rick shook his head at the question. "Has she got a gardener?" Evie looked suspiciously at he husband. "Yes, why?"

"There ya go, son. Just borrow a shovel. Problem solved."

"DAD!"

"RICK!"

That's when Jonathan decided to put in his two cents. "If she pops off it's probably because of the prunes. Prune juice, prune cake, prune muffins, stewed prunes, baked prunes, boiled prunes, a little nip of homemade prune...wine."

Rick scrunched up his nose. He hated prunes anyway. "Wine?"

"Wine," Jonathan confirmed with a nod in the rearview mirror. "Prune wine, if you can believe that, old chum. For eighty five years old, she does move kind of fast."

"I guess so."

"But DAD, you know I hate prunes and besides her house smells!"

"That's because of the incense she burns, Alex," Jonathan told him. Then he screwed up his bruised face and said, "When her rheumatism acts up and she can't move fast enough."

"Eeeee! MUM! DAD! Please don't make me stay with her! Look how old and wrinkled she is!"

"You are what you eat," Rick snickered, pulling into the country estate of old, smelly Pruneface herself.

"I can help you guys! I can shoot as good as you Dad. I can handle a rifle as good as Mum and Uncle John! I can..."

"ALEX, NO! You stay here! That's final, Son. HERE!"

Alex gave an exaggerated sigh, sounding a bit too melodramatic for his father, who turned up the corner of his mouth and looked at him over the back seat. "Look. I know you don't like this but, it will give your Mom and Uncle John and I some peace of mind knowing, you're at least safe with Aunt Pruneface, than right in the middle of something, that may be a lot more dangerous than mummies and really big bugs. Now, let's get your bags and get you settled."

"He wasn't very happy, I must say," Jonathan said from the back seat, an hour later.

Rick remembered how grateful he had been just to get back out into the cold fresh air, after sitting inside the Victorian style parlor. "Do you really blame him?"

His brother-in-law nodded, only he was glad for other reasons than Rick. He was more than glad he had declined a NIP of the prune wine and the prune pound cake. "No thank you my dear, sweet Auntie. Nothing for me. I've eaten already." The last thing he wanted on this trip, was what Rick had referred to as the 'Prune Two Step.' He felt bad enough, thank you very much. That indignity he'd pass on.

"Okay Sherlock," Rick glanced at his wife. "So, what have you got planned for us once we get to Egypt?" He knew when he asked, his neck was in a noose, and his butt was in the proverbial sling.

"I think the first thing we should do is go to Cairo to see if we can find out about Aswad and who knew him. Maybe they could give us some insight, as to what he was like and the people he knew."

"Ahhh, the needle in the haystack approach. That's always a good one." Sighing, he rolled his eyes. "That's what, about million people to talk to, and find out if anybody remembered this old guy?" He suddenly had a feeling this was going to be a long trip. He moaned and wished they were on the yacht. No so much because of setting sail, later this afternoon, but because there was aspirin in the galley.

From here they'd go to a long list of places and talk to any one and probably everyone Evie and Jon could corner or he, himself could tackle. All they needed was transportation to get around. Rick smiled to himself. Didn't genies have magic carpets? Yeah and he knew a certain one personally.

At six-thirty, four people boarded The _WaSi_ and in an hour, were underway. By nine Evie had fixed a late dinner of, coffee, tea, sandwiches, pickles, and prune pound cake that Rick picked up off the table in the galley, opened a port hole and dropped in the drink. He looked at his wife's arched eye brow and in her own words offered her an apologetic, "Oops!"

To which Jonathan nodded at Ardeth with a sigh, "Thank God for that at least."

"Could have been worse Jon," Rick said critically, "She tried to give me a case of wine before we left. Said she was worried about the way you looked. You know, the accident and all."

Poor Jon turned white as a sheet. "Please tell me you declined THAT offer?"

"I just told her, we knew you were full of crap but, you didn't need it that bad," he grinned.

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

"Welcome."

Later after Jonathan and Evie were asleep in their cabins, Rick and Ardeth sat in the wheelhouse. Rick stretched trying to get the stiffness out of his shoulders. "I need some coffee. What about you?"

Ardeth nodded, standing up. "Coffee would be good, I think." He turned to the door, but Rick stopped him.

"Hey, why don't you take the wheel for awhile and I'll get it. I need to stretch my legs."

Again Ardeth nodded and took Rick's vacated seat. "I'll be right back. And if I run into trouble," he grinned, "I'll jump over the side and go for help."

Ardeth could only stare at his retreating form in wonder. He shook his head at the odd statement and glanced out at the dark ocean. Rick O'Connell would forever remain a mystery.

In the galley Rick poured two steaming mugs of coffee, no cream, no sugar. In the cabinet, he pulled out a cookie jar and extracted four large sugar cookies and sat them on a plate, then put everything on a tray and headed back for the steps, when a light in an empty cabin caught his eye. "What the hell?" He sat the tray down quietly and pulled out a Colt. Since Jon and Evie's doors were shut, he had a sneaking suspicion in his gut, something smelt and it wasn't Pruneface's house! Slowly he began to creep down the hall until he stood outside the door. Through the crack he could see someone bent over, going through drawers. "Little bastard," he thought. "I got you now!" He slowly toed the door open with a boot and stood there, relishing the look on this joker's face, when he finally turned around and saw a loaded Colt staring at him. It didn't take Rick long to find out, but where he was expecting to find some hulking thug he looked into the face of a kid not much older than his son!

"_Ga lee_!" The five foot, seven inch, whirlwind with the shock of sun kissed, sandy brown hair, had no where to go except through this overgrown gorilla. _Well like Pop always said, if you can't go over 'em, under 'em, around 'em, then you go through 'em_! Problem was the gorilla had a gun. The boy put on his best glare, staring at the man in front of him. With the way his luck was running, he'd get shot in the ass before he got two feet. He might try reasoning with the big ape, but to his knowledge primates couldn't talk. So that left the other option. Pray he got lucky and was fast enough to get away. He geared his nerve. Old steel eyes grinned at him. Hell, not that good.

The next thing he knew, was two thousand pounds was on top of him, squashing him like a swamp tick. He fought to get loose screaming at the top of his lungs. "Get off me you, _Saleau_ (dirty old man)!" That earned him a _peeshnick_ on top of his head, with a big knuckled finger.

"My boat! MY questions!" Rick snapped and thumped him on the head again. "Who the hell are you?"

"Kiss my rosy red..." THUMP! "Hey!" THUMP! "Jerk!" THUMP, THUMP! "Bastard! Get off me!" THUMP!

"Who are you?"

"John Brown, ask me again and I'll knock you down!" THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

The boy fought harder struggling to rid himself of the weight. "Get..." THUMP!

"WHO ARE YOU? AND DON'T MAKE ME ASK AGAIN BOY!"

"The King of..." THUMP!THUMP!THUMP!THUMP! "England." THUMP!THUMP!

"CRAP! That hurts!"

"GOOD!" Rick grinned, "I meant for it to. Break into somebody's property and expect it to hurt! Now who the hell are you?" he asked showing the kid a fist full of bony knuckles.

"You broke in first and stole my stuff! And I want it back!"

Rick looked at him like he had grown two heads. "I never stole..."

"LIAR! You broke into the safe at _Papere's_ house and stole my dad's wallet, you bastard! I saw you!"

Rick sat back a little, but otherwise didn't move to let the kid go. "Who are you?" he asked quietly.

"Christopher Richard O'Connell O'Malley!"

Behind them at the door, there was an audible gasp. He didn't have to turn to know it was his wife and Jon.

"Charles Sonderburg was my grandfather. Now get off you bastard!"

Rick moaned when a bony knuckled fist came loose and punched him in the nose. "I knew this was gonna be a lousy day."

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) December 12, 2002**  
Strong Willed Stubborn boy.

Alex looked out the front window of his Aunt's house still fuming as his parents' car pulled out of the driveway. He resented them for not allowing him to go on this adventure, and was even more incensed that he had to stay with his Aunt. Alex shut his eyes when he heard her calling his name, asking him if he wanted any prune salad for dinner, and it was at that moment that the thirteen year old boy, who in his opinion was practically a man, made a reasonable decision. As fast as he could he made a phone call to a local taxi company, he was not about to stay here with Pruneface, not when he was going to miss helping his family find the answers which they sought.

Once he made his phone call, Alex walked to the parlor and found his Aunt seated in a dark burgundy velvet rocking chair drinking a crystal stemmed glass of prune wine. "Here Auntie let me get you more of that," he said, his plan already set in motion.

Not more than twenty minutes later his Auntie was out cold, mumbling something about having tea with the Queen of England on Tuesday. Satisfied that she wouldn't wake up at least until he was already on the family yacht, Alex gathered his gear, which included his air rifle, as well as a box of pellets. He knew as well as anyone that all his small round pellets could do was break the skin, but it was better than not having a weapon at all.

By the time he had all his gear together, the taxi had arrived, and after taking a few pounds from his Aunt's cookie jar in the kitchen, he left prune haven, for the smell of fresh England smog, then stepped into a musty smelling cab. "To the Docks mate," he said, a little two jolly.

The driver of the cab, a fat greasy little man gave a snort. "You sure you got money for that Junior?" he asked.

"Yes, you get me there and I'll pay you fifteen pounds," Alex said. He had taken fifty pounds, and considered that more than enough to get this guy to drive without any more hesitation, which it did.

When Alex arrived at the yacht, he found everyone skirling about the docks, and made an easy entry. He knew that he had to find a good hiding spot, and also knew that his parents would likely thump him a good one if they found him before they left, and send him back to live with the Prune Queen, and that was a fate even worse than getting thumped, at least in his opinion.

Having spent a lot of time on the yacht on family outings prior to his own adventures in Egypt, Alex knew every hiding spot there was, and decided that hiding in the row boat, harnessed to the side of the ship was his best bet at not getting discovered. Knowing that it would be a long trip, he made a quick run to the kitchen and grabbed a few apples, and a loaf of bread, figuring no one would miss it, and was about to leave when he heard his mum's voice. "Cripes, if she finds me," he said looking around. He quickly dove into a cabinet where his dad stored a few pots and pans and prayed that no one was going to use anything, then waited.

His mum had been looking for her purse, and when she found that she left, leaving Alex feeling more than a little relieved. Once he knew the coast was clear, he ran out of the kitchen, taking the far side of the ship, the side not dockside, and quickly slipped into the eight man rowboat, and promptly felt a hand slip over his mouth.

"Beat it kid, I found this place first," came a voice from a boy who couldn't be all that much older than he.

When the hand left his mouth, Alex rolled over and squinted his eyes trying to see who this person was. "This is my dad's boat, and if you want me to stay quiet you'll share," Alex said.

The young man seemed to consider this. "I'll take a guess that your no better off than me, that your old man don't want you here, and if you snitch on me, you'll be in just as much trouble. If you don't want any trouble you will find yourself another place to hide," he said, and held his fist to the boys nose for emphasis.

Having been beat up enough times in his life, Alex reluctantly left the boat, and knew he would have to risk trying to get to the one tied to the other side of the yacht. As he slipped out he realized that they were no longer at the docks, and gulped when he heard his fathers voice approaching. "Damn," he swore softly as he ran up the ship, and hid under a pile of nets.

There was at least an inch of dust under the nets, and Alex had to hold his nose in effort not to sneeze. He heard foot steps approaching, then saw a shadow of a tall man and knew it was his father. Alex shut his eyes and said a quick prayer, and for several uncomfortable moments he waited, then his father left, obviously satisfied with what ever it was he had come to this part of the yacht to find. Once the coast was clear, Alex slipped out from beneath the salty, nets, and safely made it to the other row boat. Once inside he breathed a sigh of relief, and settled in for a long cramped Journey there, satisfied that they couldn't get rid of him once they reached Egypt.

Christopher, looked at the three additional adults in front of him, and the old man who still had his big ugly hands on the front of him, then glanced about the small room he was in, trying to find a means of escape.

Rick seemed to know what the kid was thinking and threw him a warning. "Don't even think about it."

Always a fast thinker and especially of late, Chris allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. "I suppose you wouldn't be interested to know the whereabouts of another stow away, say a little scrawny chap, whose just as ugly as you are?" he said.

Evelyn glanced at the boy, wondering if he was just trying to get them to let down their guard long enough so he could get away. "Rick why don't you let the young man go," she said.

A disapproving stare her way, let her know that her husband had no intention of letting him go, so she tried another tact. "Christopher..."

"Hey lady, no one calls me by my name unless I give them permission, and the other person aboard this ship is your kid," he said.

"Jonathan, Evelyn, go see if what he says is true," Rick said as he stood up still keeping a hold of the boys shirt as he pulled him to his feet, then pulled him to a chair, where he pushed him to a sitting position. "Now I want some answers," he said.

"You first," came Christopher's reply.

The cover over the boat he was in being pulled away, and his mothers irritated voice, calling him by his full name woke Alex fully, and he quickly got out of the ship, wondering if she would personally row him back to England.

"I don't believe you Alexander Jonathan O'Connell," she said as she grabbed a hold of his ear and began to pull him with her.

Jonathan noticed Alex's baggage and his Air Rifle and gathered that up for him, wondering if this trip could get any more bizarre, then followed his sister back to the interrogation room, interested to see how things would be handled now that added complications had arisen.

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_Please review! :)_


	5. Batch 5

**Rachel - December 22, 2002**  
"...How stupid could you possibly be?" were the last words Alex heard before all of the emotions inside him fumed to the point where he was trembling with frustration and anger.

He dare not say anything, however, Alex was always like his father with his emotions, he never voiced them. He thought of every possible phrase and contradiction he could use to his mother. Some of them were half good, if he did say so himself. However, he didn't say anything. He just sat on the bed (that was evidentially his, now).

"You DO NOT leave this room, you do not cause any more problems on this boat, do you hear me?" Came Evelyn's low growl.

Alex didn't answer.

Evelyn slammed and locked the door behind her.

Christopher, was put into a room across the hall from Alex for the night, Rick and Evelyn had gone to bed, Jonathan was in his room reading a book while Ardeth sat at the wheel.

It really wasn't that hard, all Alex had to do was lift himself onto the window sill, slide open the glass pane and drop neatly onto the floor on the other side. 'Thank God for mom's taste in bright large windows.' He thought to himself. Shuttering to think what squeezing through one of those portal windows would be like.

The boat where (as Alex believed) all of his stuff was still stashed, was right down the length of the boat, at the stern. Alex was very quiet about his feelings like his father, but he was also very stubborn like his mother, and still believed in the welfare of his family. Being 13, he felt he needed that air rifle, just in case there was any trouble.

Alex found the small life boat, and pried the tarp off the side, the tarp was held down by bungee cord, so Alex decided to just get into the boat, and throw the articles out from inside. Just as he was halfway in (head first) the little boat started to sway outward from the ship, therefore Alex quickly projected himself all the way inside.

Once in the boat, Alex lay low, for he thought he heard some voices.

The huge rolling wave didn't look like much at first. Ardeth was practically asleep, the sea was a dark abyss for miles and miles. However, the moonlight hit this particular wave, just right, just at the wrong time. It was now horrifyingly clear, that this wave was a little bigger then the boat could handle.

Ardeth immediately sounded the alarm.

Evie was awakened by Rick's rapid movement, as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to find a pair of pants. When all was explained to her, Evelyn's first thoughts were her son. The door to his room was locked, she had to get Alex out of his room and somewhere safe.

As Rick ran up the stairway to Ardeth, and Evie was running down the hallway to the boys' bedrooms, the boat took on the first huge wave. It wasn't so bad, this wave didn't have a cap and the harshest movement was when the boat sat (what seemed upright) at a 45 degree angle going up and coming down the wave. Evie had to grab Christopher's doorknob and hang on for a moment, before she could unlock it and let the hysterical boy out.

She then stumbled to Alex's door, but when she opened it, no one was there. She quickly checked under the bed, and the closet…still no one. Evelyn panicked, and ran out of the room, down the hallway, into the open air of the night, the winds were picking up and an awful whipping noise was coming from somewhere at the stern. Curious Evelyn looked toward the life boats. Where on one, a small portion of tarp was pulled up, and cracking in the wind.

It dawned on him too slow. Alex was blissfully unaware of what was going on, kind of snickering at all the screaming and howling (which he though was coming from the kid on the boat, either the kid himself, of the grown ups about something the kid did). However, Alex didn't get the last laugh, he felt a chill race up his spine, slight weightlessness, then a hard cracking jerk, as the support cord gave way and dropped his little boat onto the surface of the ocean.

He was slightly aware of the ear piercing high pitched scream of his mother, but the fact that everything around him was very dark, and very wet, was what flung Alex into a panic attack as he tried desperately to free himself from the tarp which was increasingly closing in as it was being drenched by both waves and spray.

**Penny - December 23, 2002**  
Kit tied off the tow rope quickly, then coiled the remaining rope loosely around his arm. The yacht pitched, causing him to almost slide halfway across the deck. Instead, he collided with the old guy with the broken wing. "Get out of the way, you old fart!"

The woman was screaming for her husband, about the kid, who was in the lifeboat, bobbing around like a cork in water. Then the old fart had to add his screamin' two cents worth into the pot. "Buncha screamin' _me-mes_," he thought, as he climbed the rail, with rope in hand. That was when the woman suddenly turned her attentions to him and screamed louder, if that was possible. "RICK!" What do you think you're doing Christopher? COME DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

The last thing he heard through the wind, as he went over the side was the woman screeching, "RICK!" He had taken a quick look, gauged the distance between the yacht and the lifeboat, then he had jumped. He hadn't counted on hitting the water like a baseball hitting a concrete wall, but at the last second, the yacht pitched and he wound up zigging when he should have been zagging and POW! Salt water filled his nose and mouth. It stung his eyes so bad for a second he thought he was blind.

He fought the rising panic, that threatened to claim him. He had to calm down quick and find that dumb kid. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid, he thought, feeling the anger rise. What the hell was that damn kid thinkin' anyway? Didn't he know his folks were going nuts? Didn't he care? Kit would never have pulled a stunt like this! Never even thought about it. Mom and Pop had been too special to pull crap like this.

Kit searched through the pouring rain for the lifeboat, still trying to get his bearings, when he saw it. That dumb, damn kid! He was hanging onto the inside of the boat and screamin' his fool head off! Dumb youngin' had the wisdom of King Solomon's horse, Bubba! Kit took a deep breath and started making his way through the waves toward the boat and the half drowned towheaded nutria inside.

When he popped up on the side of the boat like the Honey Island Swap Monster, it almost made him laugh. The kids expression was priceless. "Last time I saw a mouth like that, it had a hook in it!" he shouted.

"Cripes! You nearly scared me to death!"

"Good! Serves your ass right! You already scared the hell outta your folks. Where I come from, turn-about is fair play, fool!"

"The little boat pitched, causing Kit to almost loose his hold. "Help me up, Squirt!" It took another five minutes of Alex pulling, and Kit pushing to get Kit over the side. Once in the boat, Kit fought to tie off the rope. He glanced at the kid across from him, who hung on for dear life. "Your old man ever hit you?"

"NO! NEVER!"

Kit shook his head. "Pity," he mumbled. "If you was my kid, I'd carry a two by four around!"

Once the rope was tied off, Kit stood, fighting to hang on. With one hand, he waved at the yacht and shouted, "PULL US IN!" The lifeboat rolled and pitched, jerking Kit off his feet and sending his head into one of the wooden benches. The last thing he remembered was the kid shouting, "Jesus!" and thinking his Mom, Pop, and Papere would be glad to see him.

He was swimming. The salt burned his nose and eyes so bad he wanted to cry, but if he opened his mouth, he'd drown, but Pop had told him, you did what you had to do, when people depended on you. You jumped in feet first and gave it all you had. Where the hell was that kid?

Evie touched the shoulder of her dozing husband, who came instantly awake. "He's coming around, Sweetheart."

Outside the storm had stopped except for the soft pats of rain that fell from the sky. Close to four hours had passed, after both boys were safe back on board and Christopher O'Malley had yet to wake up and take the medicine, Rick O'Connell was gonna pour down his throat!

"GOOD! Cause I've got a bone to pick with this one too!"

Evie's voice was soft, remembering the 'Bone' Rick had picked with their son earlier. "Don't be too hard on him. He saved Alex."

"I know that Evie, but he could have waited for me to go with him," Rick fumed.

Evie brushed a lock of hair from the side of Kit's head, revealing a reddish purple lump, the size of a goose egg. "Would you have let him go if he had?"

"HELL NO!"

"See?" she nodded. "I think you're angry not so much because he beat you to the punch, but because he scared you as much as Alex, being out there in the lifeboat."

"Bull! Why the hell would that scare me? I don't know him from Adam!"

"I think you know him better than you think you do, Sweetheart," she offered as she touched her husband's hand. "I believe you and Christopher are like two peas from the same pod. That's what scares you."

Rick grunted and the boy moaned. "Not...Christopher...They call me...Kit..."

Rick looked down into the worst blood shot eyes he'd ever seen. "Your eyes look like hell, kid."

"Yeah?...You should see 'em...from my side."

"Yeah, well," Rick heard Evie clucking quietly and glanced up to see her shake her head. "Okay," he said turning his attentions back to the boy bundled up on the cot. "But you and me are still gonna talk, got that?" Rick was answered by the congested snore of the boy.

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) December 24, 2002**  
Alex lay shivering under a considerable layer of blankets trying to go to sleep so he could get rid of the fear and anger, which had threatened to consume him in the last hour. His skin was still all wrinkled from the ocean and his hair still damp, whether with the salt water or with a cold sweat he did not know. All of the emotions that were running through his body were threatening to consume him, but he had not the energy to will them away.

He could not stand Kit. The kid was treating him like complete trash- "Your old man ever hit you? Pity, if you was my kid, I'd carry a two by four around!" He rolled his eyes and mocked Kit's voice, letting out a sharp sound of disgust as he did so. Suddenly an enormous shudder overtook his body and he began to shiver uncontrollably. He hugged the blankets more tightly around him and squeezed his eyes shut. Just then Evelyn came tiptoeing in through the door in case Alex was asleep.

"Alex, are you ok sweet heart?" she whispered.

He couldn't answer without his teeth chattering and his voice shaking. He tried but nothing came out. Evelyn rushed over to him when all that was emitted was a hoarse squeak. She placed a motherly hand on his shoulder and felt him shivering, then hurriedly that hand moved in a flash up to his forehead where she found it burning up. "Oh no..." she murmured before she ran out of his room to get Rick.

Rick was sitting sound asleep in a chair in Kit's makeshift room next to the cot where the young man lay asleep, the lump on his head swollen and purple. Rick was in the middle of an extremely intriguing dream when he was shaken awake by an extremely frazzled looking Evelyn. "What is it?" He mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"It's Alex, he's sick. He won't stop shaking." That got Rick's attention because he sat bolt upright in the chair.

_Alex_? Rick immediately thought back to how much he had yelled at his son earlier for his escapades and guilt washed over him. He hoped that nothing was seriously wrong with Alex because they were out at sea. _How on earth are we supposed to get medical help_? Rick decided that he would not worry until a serious problem presented itself so instead he stood up stretched and followed his wife to where Alex was lying huddled under his blankets.

Rick felt his forehead and sighed. He seemed to have stopped shaking but his fever was pretty high. Rick sat down next to his form on the bed and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Alex, why did you have to come with us? We wanted to prevent something like this from happening."

Alex managed a whisper "I still would have gotten sick Dad, and if Aunt Prune had, you know...popped off while I was there, there would be no one to take care of me."

"Alex, your Aunt is not going to 'pop off' any time soon. She may smell funny, but she's got it where it counts kid."

"Oh, and where's that?" Alex said, his voice rose and was cut off by coughing which racked through his entire chest and left him breathless.

"She's got it in her heart."

"Right...and I suppose that's a prune too."

Rick chuckled softly. "Go to sleep son, you need your rest." Then he shuffled Evelyn out of the room, and closed the door softly, wrapping his arms around his wife.

The next morning dawned bright, without any trace of the malice the ocean had shown the previous night. Evelyn groaned, stretched and plopped her feet onto the cold floor of the yacht. "Brr.. " she said her feet recoiling from the icy surface." She looked over at the bed and noticed that Rick was not still in bed so she wrapped her bathrobe around her and moseyed into Alex's room where she found him sleeping peacefully. She refilled his glass of water on the bedside table and pulled the discarded blankets up around his shoulders so that he was covered from the early morning chill. Next she ventured out onto the deck where the two lifeboats had been moored; their tarps successfully strapped back upon them. Ardeth and her brother were both asleep. Both were snoring lightly and both were covered by their blankets. Then, resuming her search for her husband she traveled to where Kit had hopefully spent out the remainder of the night. Upon reaching the door she could hear angry voices emanating from within-

"Why should I have to answer to you? You are not my father."

"Oh, well a good question might be, who is your father? Does your father know where you are, why you are here, or even who you are?"

"Listen 'Oh smart one' my father wouldn't give a rats ass where I am if he was still alive, and if he was I probably wouldn't care either."

"I am sorry to hear that Christopher, but that doesn't explain to me why you are here. I want to know exactly why you broke in last night. I want to know why, if you were intent on causing my family bodily harm you saved my son, and I want to know what happened to your father, and why you treat him with so much disrespect? Then, and only then can you go back to sleep."

"For your information I loved my father. I adored him. But it wasn't good enough for him. He went out one night, got himself shot, and didn't come back. That was seven years ago. Let's see, my mum died when I was four, tuberculosis; my sister when I was eight, the whooping cough, and Mr. Sonderburg-my grandfather, just two days ago, murdered. For why I am here, I have come to help you, but am thinking of leaving because I hate you people. There is too much emotion here, too much love, too much fear, it's all welling up from a core of adventure. I like the adventure but hate the emotion, and if you want my cooperation I suggest you tone it down a bit."

"I am not going to ask my family to change because of some half-witted kid waltzing in and saying so. I don't give a DAMN if I am related to you, and I don't plan to anytime soon. And if you tell me ONE more time that I am your uncle your nose will end up on the other side of your skull."

"And you _Misseur_, if you deny one more time your affiliation with me, I will blow a whole in your head so big you will be able to see that you have never had any brains worth giving half a fuck for."

Hearing this Evie gasped. Rick heard her sudden intake of breath and rushed to the door. Her face was white as she looked in on the scene. Kit was sitting in his bed, his eyes flaming, his head swollen while Rick had only concern written on his face.

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) January 6, 2003**  
_Ancient Egypt_

Nefret surveyed the horizon before her, noting the pleasing way that the sand dunes rolled radially outward from her. She sighed. It was a heavy sigh, full of depression. The golden sunrays glinted off of her jet-black hair, turning it almost crimson in the fading light. She reached a hand slowly down to her swollen belly and tears formed in her eyes at the despairing thought that her husband would not be here to witness the birth of their first child.

Ardeth had no more than touched her cheek to signal his departure to his time, and she missed him more than she had missed anyone before, even her dead sister. She looked up to the purple sky with her tear-streaked face and prayed silently to Asyria to forgive her. She knew that her pregnancy was throwing her otherwise subdued emotions out of whack, but she also knew just how much she loved Ardeth, so she allowed herself to realize that half of the tears were reasonable, but not all of them.

She wanted his arms to fold around her in the protective way that she cherished. He was the only one that could ever make him feel safe. She missed his kisses, the tender way their mouths mated, and worst of all she missed his sensual touch. Her body ached for him, in a way that no other man had ever been blessed with her yearning.

She did not even hear the footsteps behind her until she was graced with Gabrielle's warm presence beside her.

"You been thinking of Ardeth again?"

No, I am not going to cry. Nefret told herself. But, no sooner had she thought that then tears welled up in her eyes and she was sobbing in no time. Gabrielle gathered Nefret into her arms and rocked her back and forth, talking to her gently, speaking words of encouragement. Slowly she felt herself being led out of the chill night air and into the confines of their thatched house, then slowly over to a table that had warm water on it, carried fresh from the Nile.

Nefret looked up into Gabrielle's warm eyes, eyes she could entrust with any secret. "Thank you for being here with me. I would be a shipwreck with you not here."

"You are a shipwreck even with me here, so it looks like I am not doing too great of a job!" Gabs grinned as she saw Nefret's lips hover slightly in a smile. Then she tucked the light cotton weave blanket around her placid form. "Sleep well my dear." She then left after giving the young Egyptian a kiss on the forehead.

**Calla Lancaster - January 8, 2003**  
_Back on the ship…_

Rick started to fall asleep at the wheel. He and Evie had kept a night-long vigil over Alex, while Jonathan watched the boy, and Ardeth manned the wheel. All of a sudden, Jonathan tore into the cockpit.

"Jonathan, where's the kid?"

"He...he...he jumped...over the side..." Jonathan sputtered , out of breath from running across the deck.

* * *

A/N: Please review! I'll post the next batch in a week but if we get reviews, I'll post it up sooner! :)


	6. Batch 6

**Emilee - January 8, 2003**  
_Ancient Egypt_

"Ow! Buggar all!" Gabrielle yelped as Senbi ran over her toes with the cart. Living so far from the nearest town and working on fixing up the hut, it took a cart to haul all the groceries home from the market. Gabrielle glared from under her mess of dark hair at her brother as she balanced the sack of tangerines clumsily in her hands. "Bloody hell Senbi!"

The scrawny excuse for a man glanced up at her, "If I hear one more English expression from you I'll cut off your hands." he grumbled.

"And if you don't stop running over my feet I'll never go back to England and stay here and bother you forever." She replied matter-of-factly.

That seemed to shut him up and Gabrielle smiled to herself but as she thought more about England and Jonathan, her smiled faded. She'd only been home for a few months, but Gabrielle was already realizing that Egypt, in her own time, with her brother and her friends, just wasn't home anymore. Jonathan was home.

Gabrielle frowned, that sounded odd. It was true, but just sounded odd. Everything about her life of late had been odd to her. She wasn't used to Jonathan, being in love with him and him loving her, but she also wasn't used to being away from him, missing him.

She sighed and looked determinedly at Senbi's quickly approaching oasis. There is work to do, she told herself, there is need for me here.

Nefret was only a few months along in the pregnancy. She spent most of her time thinking about Ardeth, but Gabrielle completely understood. She herself hardly ever stopped thinking about Jonathan, though she wouldn't admit it, and when she did she liked to think that her longing for 'her man' wasn't as obvious.

Gabrielle, Senbi and Nefret were all staying in Senbi's hut. It was quiet, safe and easy for any one of their group to find. But since Gabrielle had returned the hut was looking better by the day. Gabrielle was forcing Senbi to fix it up (though she was doing most of the work) while Nefret was there.

Yes, Gabrielle felt a swell of pride as the hut came into view. It wasn't small enough to even call a hut anymore. It was more like a-

"OW!"

"What are you doing down there?"

"You tripped me you git!"

"I did no such thing."

Gabrielle sat in the sand, the tangerines sitting all around her and the sack blowing off into the dunes. She glared up at her brother and reached out for him. "Be a gentleman." She commanded, and Senbi sighed and helped her up with one hand. But he was of course off in a flash heading down the dune to the hut, leaving Gabrielle to pick up the tangerines and trudge after him.

By the time Gabrielle reached the hut Senbi was already unpacking the car. She swatted him on the back of the head she passed him and entered the kitchen door.

"Nefret! We're back, love." She called, dumping the tangerines on the kitchen table.

Nefret called back a faint greeting from somewhere in the house and Gabrielle smiled, picking up a huge bowl, filling it with the tangerines and heading out the door to the pond.

She didn't notice her brother watching her as she dumped out the tangerines, filled the basin and sat on her feet, washing the fruit. Her left hand caught her eye and she took a sharp intake of breath before closing her eyes and closing her hand in a fist, then touched her fist to her pursed lips.

It had been the day she left that she took the ring from him. As usual, Jonathan and Gabrielle were being their flirty silly selves, goofing off and not really realizing that she was leaving for so long. She'd tugged off the silver pinkie ring Jonathan always wore and slipped it on her ring finger, then kissed him good-bye and that was it.

It hadn't meant much at the time, but when she'd gotten back to Egypt wearing his ring she felt so close to him, even when they were ages apart.

And then she'd lost it. She had been sitting right there next to the pond washing her feet after Senbi had dropped a hammer on her toes.

This image made her frown. Not to mention made her toes hurt.

She opened her eyes and looked at the pond. It would be impossible to find it now, so she shook her head and tried to stop thinking about it.

Finishing the washing, Gabrielle stood up and then bent back down when she ran strait into Senbi who was standing behind her. "Cripes!" she yelled, tumbling over and spilling the fruit all in the mud.

She sighed and glared at her brother, "What the hell are you doing?" She snapped grumpily.

He might have been apologizing when he grumbled something inaudible, but Gabrielle couldn't hear it. What she did hear was his muttered, "Here." as he thrust his hand to her and looked at her a bit peeved.

He opened his fist and revealed Jonathan's ring. Gabrielle's jaw dropped and she glanced up at her brothers face before taking the ring from his palm.

"Wh...how...where...?" Gabrielle whispered, holding the ring in her palm and looking at it with her brown eyes wide. Then her eyes darted up to him, "How did you get this Sen?"

Senbi looked at her and shrugged, "Just picked it up."

A smile crossed her face. She knew that it would have taken him forever to scour the pond for the tiny ring.

"Alright so it took me about...oh eight hours to find that thing." Senbi explained with a shrug. "It was noth-" He was interrupted when his sister threw her arms around him.

"Thank you!" She hugged him, then stepped back, ruffling his hair, "You are absolutely brilliant." She told him with a huge grin and her voice sounding far too much like Jonathan's.

Rolling his eyes, Senbi shook his head and put his hand in his pockets, "Maybe now you won't mope around like your puppy died." he said turning and starting back up to the hut.

Gabrielle laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, or more at his retreating back as he slipped back in the house.

She looked down at the ring in her hand and slipped it on, smiling softly and wondering if Jonathan was thinking about her too, and hoping that he was smiling.

**Penny - January 9, 2003**  
Back on the ship…

Four pair of eyes frantically scoured the surface of the water, for the teenager. "THERE!" Jonathan pointed. "HE'S THERE!"

Kit fought the waves, bobbing more than swimming. The water seemed relatively calm, there was no real wind to speak of, but for some reason the water looked choppy all around him. Something was wrong...terribly wrong. Rick watched intently as the boy continued to bob in the water. Kit jerked, went under and surfaced again, barely crying out.

As Ardeth quickly brought the _WaSi_ about, Rick and Jonathan saw the movement at the same time. The water was alive with dark shapes, swimming just under the surface, circling the boy. Kit's body jerked violently and the water turned crimson! SHARKS! JESUS SHARKS! Again Kit's body jerked and disappeared below the surface.

Confused, frightened eyes shot open as Rick sat straight up in the bunk, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. Strong arms gently pushed him back down. "No ahi. Lay back until I finish." Still disoriented, he stared up into the face of the warrior. "Lay back now," he repeated softly.

"Where's the kid?" he cried raggedly.

Ardeth dabbed at the bruise on the left side of Rick's temple. When Ardeth didn't answer as fast as Rick thought he should, Rick grabbed a fist full of black cloth and jerked Ardeth forward. "WHERE THE HELL IS THE HE?"

Ardeth suddenly looked old and tired to Rick. It was true then he thought. The kid was gone. Rick slumped back into the bunk, his emotions going in a thousand different directions all at once. He had known the kid had been lying. It didn't take an Oxford grad to figure that out, especially when Rick had asked Kit on four different occasions, during their talk what Kit's sister's name was and had gotten four different answers. He wondered if Kit even had a sister. He doubted it seriously. He did manage to get out that his mother and father had been killed by the same man. Who he didn't say, except that he was going to kill the bastard when he found him. Then there was that bullshit about them needing HIS help and that they were too EMOTIONAL for his taste! Damn kid had more balls than a major league!

Then his curiosity got the better of him and he'd asked Kit about his mother. What was her maiden name? Where was she born? Did she have any brothers or sisters? Where were her parents? What he got he hadn't counted on and it only went to prove, you didn't need the BOOK OF THE DEAD to raise a ghost from the past.

"What?" Kit sneered. "Just cause I got Richard O'Connell in my name, you think you're related to me? Better think again, you slob. My uncle's dead. His whole damn garrison was wiped out by Tuareg warriors! Mom said he was a hero and YOU SURE THE HELL AIN'T NO HERO! I wouldn't have your dumb ass as my uncle, if they paid me all the gold in China! BIG DUM FU..." THUMP! THUMP!

Kit had come up out of the chair so fast, Rick had to side step him. "You touch me one more time and I'm gonna introduce my knee to your nuts!"

Rick in a move that was just as fast, reached out, jerking Kit half off his feet and slammed him back into the chair. "Yeah and if shit was music, you'd be an orchestra, O'Malley! Now sit there! Now you're gonna answer my questions! Remember? My boat, my questions! Now, where was she born?"

"Who?"

"Your mother?"

Kit tilted his head and the hair slid sideways into his face, causing Rick to feel the hairs on his neck stand at attention. It was almost like looking in a mirror, when he was a kid. Kit sneered up at him. "She was born in a hospital, cause she wanted to be close to her mother, Stupid."

Rick glared and thumped him again. "If the crap in here was any deeper, I'd need waders and a shovel, Smart Ass! Now where was she born?"

"Is that your real face or were you hit by a double decker bus?"

Rick popped his knuckles and took a step closer. "Do it," Kit dared. "I'll cream ya like corn!"

"WHERE, O'MALLEY?"

"CHICAGO, O'CONNELL!"

"Her parents names? What were they?"

"What are ya doin', writin' a goddamn book?" When Rick advanced closer, Kit had put up his finger, shaking it back and forth. "Ut-uh! I'll hit you so goddamn hard your friends will feel it!"

"Who were they?"

Kit looked at him suspiciously. "Paddy and Margaret O'Connell."

Rick walked over and stared out the porthole for a few minutes, silent, lost in his own thoughts. "What was her name, Kit?" he asked quietly.

"Caroline Anne, but they called her..."

"Carrie Anne," Rick finished.

Kit frowned, "How the hell do you know what they called my Mom?"

"Cause I gave it to her as a nickname," he said sadly. "I couldn't say Caroline, when I started talking. All I could say was Carrie."

"LYIN' SONUVABITCH!" As Rick turned toward the young man, a fist crashed into the side of his head. Before he blacked out, in the corridor, he remembered Kit running for the steps to the deck, screaming and cussing, saying he'd rather be eaten by sharks than spend another damn minute, with a damn lyin' bastard.

As Rick lay on the bunk, he realized, Kit was the only link he had left to Carrie Anne, and now sadly, that link was gone. Ardeth said something, bringing Rick back to the here and now.

"What? What Ardeth? Sorry, didn't hear you. What'd you say?"

"I said, Jon said to let you know that when you feel up to it, you can go Round Two, with your nephew. Until then, Jonathan says he will keep him locked up in the hold."

"He's not dead? Ardeth, he's not dead?"

Ardeth looked at him with worried eyes, feeling the lump on the side of his head. "No, he's not."

"The sharks didn't eat him?"

"Nooooo."

Rick sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bunk. "GOOD, CAUSE I'M GONNA KILL THAT DAMN NEPHEW OF MINE!" Rick marched out the door, leaving a bewildered Med-Jai in his wake. Outside the hold he found Jonathan sitting in a chair.

He looked at the side of Rick's head and remembered the bruise and lump on Kit's. "I say, Rick. You two are a matching set if ever I saw one."

"Yeah, great. Unlock the door Jon and let me in."

When Rick walked into the hold, he found Kit dozing on a pallet. Hearing Rick slam open the door, Kit raised up and sighed heavily, "Shit. If I throw a stick, will you leave?"

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) January 9, 2003**  
The hold was a small room, with one tiny window, too small for Kit to get out of, which had been the reason for putting him in there. Next to the door, which Rick had closed on his entry was a chair, and he pulled it in front of him and sat down glaring at the boy laying in front of him. "We have unfinished business," Rick said dryly, trying to maintain a hold on his temper.

Annoyed that this man, who had made the past several hours a living hell for him, had once again returned, Kit chose to keep his eyes planted on the floor. "I've got nothing more to say," came his cool reply.

"Oh, you'll answer my questions, even if I have to spend the next two days in here with you," came Rick's reply, equally as cool.

~*~*~*~*~

Outside the room, Jonathan had his ear pressed firmly against the door, trying to determine if he should intervene before both of them ended up killing one another. He was so focused on trying to hear, that he didn't see or hear the approaching footsteps of his nephew, and for that reason, he jumped, and hit his head on the frame of the door. "Bloody hell that hurt," he said as he turned coming face to face with Alex. "You're mum is going to have a fit if she finds you out of bed," he said, feeling relieved that it was just him.

"And my dad will have a few words for you when he finds out you're eavesdropping," Alex said holding a blanket around his still fevered body. The commotion which Kit had made earlier, about someone not being his Uncle woke Alex, and now he wanted to know what was going on.

It appeared that the boy had a point, and Jonathan sighed, rubbing his head as he sat back down in his chair. Then realized that Alex didn't look so good. "I'll fill you in, but maybe we should get you back to bed before your mum comes looking for you," he said as he stood up and proceeded to escort Alex back to his room.

~*~*~*~*~

The tension in the air of the small room was so thick, that one could likely cut it with a pocket knife. Not a word had been spoken between the two occupants, and Kit now glared at the man before him with more hate in his body than he had ever felt.

Not far from where Kit lay, on a pallet of several blankets piled on the floor, Rick starred back, still trying to come to terms with what Kit had said before everything went black. The boy was obviously telling the truth, he couldn't have made up all that about Carrie Anne, or their parents, and remembering them brought up old feelings, ones that Rick hadn't let surface in a long time.

Kit lowered his head to the floor, and thumped it once before raising it again to stare back at the bastard who sat in front of his only way out. He had better things to do than to just sit there.

When he had raised up the blanket had fallen away, and Rick's eyes were now fixed on a mark on the back of his right shoulder, a birthmark shaped like the half of a moon, the same birthmark his mother had.

"What the hell are ya looking at?" Kit finally said as he sat up dragging the blanket around him.

"You have a mark on your shoulder, like your mom," he said, without anger.

"Look you Son of a Bitch, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you don't know nothin' about me, or nothin' about my mom, so why don't you move away from that door before I knock your teeth out?" When he didn't move, Kit stood, letting the blanket fall. All he had on was his underpants, but he didn't care, and started forward when the knob on the door twisted, and both of them heard Evelyn's voice.

Evelyn, had checked on Alex, and upon finding Jonathan with him, had decided she better go make sure Rick and the young man they had found, were still in one piece. "Rick?" she called out as she twisted the handle of the door with her right hand. Under her left arm, was an old shirt, and some pants that belonged to her brother, which she thought might fit him. When the door opened she found her husband standing with his arms folded against his chest, and Kit sitting on the pallet, with a tan blanket wrapped around him.

"Rick, why don't you take over the wheel for a while?" she suggested as she walked in front of him, getting his attention.

He looked at his wife. "Not till Junior here starts talking,"

"I don't think you'll get anything out of him if you try forcing it," she said as she turned to face Rick's prisoner. Her eyes opened wide as she looked down at him. The way his hair fell on his face, and the manor in which he was looking at her was exactly like looking at Rick, and she would have said as much, but knew that he would likely be repulsed by that, so decided to leave her thoughts to herself. "These may be a bit big for you, but I thought they might due for now," she said as she put the clothes on the chair.

"Thank you," he said, staying where he was.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Yes Ma'am," he responded pleasantly.

"I'll bring you something to eat," she said, smiling at him before she turned back to her husband. "Rick, I need you to come with me," she said, taking his hand.

For a moment, Rick stood where he was, then heaved a sigh, and left with his wife, shutting and locking the door behind him.

~*~*~*~*~

"He looks just like you do, the way his hair fell in his eyes, the way he looked at me," Evelyn said as she made a sandwich for Kit.

Rick was sitting at the table, still thinking about the birthmark. "Carrie Anne had a birthmark on the back of her right shoulder, and he has the same mark," Rick said as he looked at his wife.

She had finished making Kit's meal, and walked over to him, settling on his lap. "It seems like our past is coming back to haunt us doesn't it? My Parents, your sister, and Kit. I'm almost tempted just to have you turn us around and go back to England," she said, then sighed as his lips moved over the right side of her neck.

"I don't think we have a choice about this anymore, there are too many things that need answers, and whether he wants to or not, Kit is going to have to learn to trust us," Rick said as he rested his chin on her left shoulder.

"Maybe you should let him rest first," she replied.

A sigh escaped his lips, then he stood up and turned her around. "He doesn't have that luxury, nor do any of the rest of us," he said, then kissed her before getting the food she had prepared for him, and returning to his room, to get the answers he needed.


	7. Batch 7

_A/N: Thank you for the review, pepermint patty! As promised, if we get reviews, we won't make you wait a whole week for the next batch! :)_

* * *

**Emilee - January 11, 2003**  
Five years. For five years he'd spent every day knowing that when he got home she would be there. For five years he'd woken up every morning with Gabrielle sprawled out next to him, using his chest as a pillow. She'd become a part of his life so easily that it was strange now without her there.

Jonathan didn't depend on many things. Rick, Evie and Alex were one, his room in the East wing of the O'Connell manor was another, and then there were a few others...Scotch, Glenlivet, his whiskey flask always being full and tucked away in his jacket pocket...let's see...Chap's Bar on the corner of Cole Street next to Barney's...

All right, so Jonathan depended on quite a few things, but one thing he'd always swore never to depend on, was a woman.

Sighing for what must have been the umpteenth time as he sat at Alex's bedside watching over the boy, Jonathan slumped about as far as one can slump in the chair. His hand found his father's ring and he twirled it absently on his finger.

The only problem about swearing never to depend on a woman, was what to do after you fell in love with one.

Jon hadn't been all too eager for Gabrielle to go home for a while, but the move didn't seem to affect her much. She was sad, yes, told him she was going to miss him, definitely, but all in all she immediately agreed when Nefret asked her to do it.

"Why on earth did she do that for?" Jonathan asked out loud.

And much to Jon's surprise, Alex rolled over, "What?" he asked, looking at his uncle.

Jonathan winced, "I thought you were asleep."

"You woke me up!"

Jonathan sighed again.

"So what were you saying?" Alex asked, adjusting his position so his elbow was on the pillow and he was propping up his head with his hand.

"Nothing Alex, go back to sleep." Jonathan pleaded.

"Oooh, I get it. You're thinking about her." Alex said after a few moments.

"I thought I told you to go to sleep." Jonathan moaned.

Alex gave his uncle a look, and Jonathan gave him the exact same look back, but with many more years of experience. Alex shook his head and gave Jon a pitiful look, "I think I know what you're going through Uncle Jon."

"Oh you do?"

Alex nodded, "You're wishing you would have just married her."

"Bloody hell, Alex, that's quite an assump...an assumpt...that's quite a thing to say Alex!"

"Assumption?"

Jonathan glared.

"Why didn't you marry her by the way?"

Jonathan sighed and put his hands over his face.

"I mean, she would have said yes..." Alex said offhandedly.

The hands dropped immediately. "Wh...wh...wh...?"

"Are you okay Uncle Jon?"

"Did she tell you she'd say yes?"

Alex shrugged, "She might have mentioned it."

Jonathan looked ecstatic, and sat up a little straighter in his chair. "She did?"

Frowning, Alex shrugged again and rolled over, pulling the covers over his shoulder, "...well maybe not."

"Alex!"

"What? I'm going to sleep like you told me."

"I told you no such thing." Jonathan replied sitting forward and looking at his nephew.

"..." Alex snored.

"Oh come on Alex! Tell me what she said!"

**Penny - January 13, 2003**  
"What am I? Fly paper for freaks?" Kit moaned, putting his head down on his knees when Rick came back in the hold, with a plate in one hand and a glass of milk in another. "Don't you have a house to haunt?"

"Charming to the end, huh?" Rick frowned, taking in the kid who sat bunched up on the blanket. He looked pathetic in Jon's clothes. They hung on his skinny frame, like wet laundry on a clothes line, but bless Evie's heart, she had found him something to wear besides the blanket. At least she had thought of it, Rick thought with a twinge of guilt. It was more than he had done.

"Look. Evie fixed you a sandwich and a glass of milk. Said if you wanted more, just ask. She put a couple sugar cookies on there, for you, too."

Kit ignored him, keeping his head inside his folded arms. Rick shook his head and sat the plate and glass down next to the pallet. "It's there when you are ready to eat," he told him, sitting down in the chair next to the door. "But get this straight, I'm not leaving till you talk to me, Kit."

"Oh goody!" he mumbled into his arms. "Why don't you make like horse shit and hit the trail, Lone Ranger?"

"You know what? I'm not getting into a battle of wills, with some kid who hasn't got sense enough to pour piss out of a boot, with the directions written on the heel! Now you can make this hard or you can make it easy on yourself! I don't care! But either way, you're gonna talk to me! UNDERSTAND?"

"Go figure," he mumbled flatly. "One hundred thousand sperm and you were the fastest! Who would have thought it!"

"Did Carrie Anne let you cuss like a sailor?" Kit's head shot up. "BASTARD! My Mom was a saint! You ain't fit to wipe her shoes, let alone say her name!"

Rick's expression never changed, but his heart sped up. "Tell me about her."

"Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up the fastest, O'Connell."

"Look you little stinkweed, I have had just about enough from your smart damn mouth to last me a lifetime!", Rick snapped back.

"Oh, ya dyin'? HELL, DON'T LET ME BE THE ONE TO KEEP YA! JUST GO DROP DEAD!" he shouted , then dropped his head back in his arms. "Everybody else does," he barely said.

Now we're getting somewhere, Rick thought. Now it was plain why there was so much anger. So much distrust, so much hatred. His mother and father were gone. His grandfather was gone. He thought he had no one. Well, he was wrong about that one, and whether Kit wanted to hear it or not, he was going to listen to what Rick had to say, if he had to pound it into his nephew's head.

"Who killed Carrie Anne and your dad and your grandpa, Kit?" Rick asked feeling his own hatred rise for the person responsible for his sister's death.

"Was it the same person that took a knife to your arm?"

Kit's head shot up, his hand instinctively wrapping around the back of his right forearm. Accusing eyes shot daggers at the man sitting by the door.

"Found it when we took your wet clothes off. Ardeth put some kinda herb mixture on it. Said it was getting infected. A couple more days and you'd have been in trouble. He probably saved your arm."

"I can take care of myself. I don t need you or your friends. When we get to Egypt, I'm outta here!"

"You're not leaving this yacht till I say you do. In fact, you're not leaving my sight! Get that in your head right now. Somebody tried to kill you and I'm bettin' it was the same sonuvabitch that killed my sister and your dad and your grandpa! So from now on, till I find out who it is, I'm stickin' to you like shit on an eggshell, Buddy."

"You really wanna know? You wanna know about my Mom? My Dad? Papere? The bastard that killed them all? Fine. I'll tell ya, but you gotta do something first for me, O'Connell. I want you to try this. Go up on deck. Take, oh say, fifty to sixty paces backwards. Run forward at full speed, then do a triple somersault through the air, and disappear up your own ass!"

"DAMMIT! YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YOU? WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? DID THEY SHOOT YOU THROUGH THE STUPID FOREST AND YOU HIT YOUR HEAD ON EVERY GODDAMN TREE ON YOUR WAY OUT?"

"Do you eat with that mouth?"

Two heads turned to look at Evie standing in the doorway.

Good. Now Kit was gonna get it. His pretty little wife had "The Look" all over her face. Evie was gonna skin him alive and he'd wind up being the ugliest throw rug in Egypt. Yes sir! Busted now, Buddy!

"Kit, I suggest if you want to enjoy the same privileges, as the rest of us while you're on board, you watch your tongue, young man."

"Yes Ma'am", he answered quietly.

What the hell? That was it? He turned to Evie who had turned "The Look" in his direction. Oh Hell.

"Mr. O'Connell? We can hear you clear up in the wheel house. There's no reason to scream at the boy like that. He's really not the enemy here. I'm sure if you ask him with a modicum of civility, he'll answer your questions."

"Won't you Kit?"

Yeah, right, Rick thought looking at the sullen face, sitting on the pallet. And pigs will sprout wings and fly to the moon.

Evie's eyebrow danced to attention. "KIT?"

The teenager sighed.

Evie knew then one of the battles had been won, but the war was another thing. It would take a lot for Kit to trust anyone. And the only way that could even start was for it to begin here, in this hold, right now. "Would you mind if I stayed?"

"Kay", Kit answered flatly, shrugging his shoulder. "It's your boat. I'm just the prisoner here."

"You wouldn't be, if you talk to Rick, you know. He just wants to know about Carrie Anne. That's all. See, they told him when he was in the orphanage, that she died from pneumonia. I guess they didn't think your grandparents would adopt a second child, even if it was her brother. I imagine they didn't know about Rick. Your Grandfather seemed like a nice man. He didn't seem like someone to purposefully separate a brother and his sister."

"When my Mom told them she had a brother," Kit started quietly, "they asked about him. The orphanage said he was dead."

Evie nodded. "I thought as much." She walked over to him and smiled.

"Can I sit down? Will that be alright?"

"I guess so."

"Can I ask you some things about your mom? I d like to know about her. She was Alex's aunt too." Evie said softly.

Kit sighed deeply. He didn't want to remember. It hurt too much to think about Mom and Pop. It hurt too much to think about Papere. He fought for a little over a year, to put the sight of his mother and father's body on the living room floor out of his mind. Now these people wanted him to sit there and ...

He shoved a hand through his hair, pushing it back out of his eyes. It was a sign of frustration, Evie had witnessed a thousand times, from her husband. "Yeah, well, she's nobody's aunt or mother or sister now, since that bastard cut her throat!"

Evie gasped and Rick sat up straight in the chair.

"Who did it, Kit? Tell me? I'll make sure the sonuvabitch pays!"

"Well you best not think on that, too long, O'Connell. I'm gonna kill Alan Skarzinski, myself!"

**Calla Lancaster - January 14, 2003**  
The man walked through the streets of Cairo, not knowing where he was going. He knew only that those damned O'Connells were coming after him. His British informant, Nac-et-bieh, had written him that the Carnahan's son and daughter, as well as her husband, had left for Egypt, and had acquired two small boys on the way. According to the informant, one was their own, stowed away on-board. But the other, also stowed away, the grandson of his now deceased enemy, could tell everything about the man to the O'Connells. Everything.

As the sun set, the man walked down to the river. There he spotted a caravan, surrounded by men in long black robes, with black tattoos on their foreheads and cheeks and decided to find out where they were going. After all, he was a wanted man. "Hamunaptra. The city of riches," was the reply that he got. Hamunaptra. The City of the Dead. Who would think to look for him there? What was his name? The men asked. "Habi-tu-maruk." This was the name he had been given at his birth. The name he had been given at his reincarnation was Alan Skarzinski, but he had committed many a crime under that alias. The men were talking again. Why was he going? They asked. "To escape the truth." That answer seemed to sit well with the men, and the man was given a camel and supplies and told to meet at this very spot, at sunup.

**Sheri L (pen name Lucky Fannah) January 14, 2003**  
Jonathan was sitting with Alex in his cabin next to the hold where Kit was being held. Jonathan held a glass to the wall and pressed his ear to the glass. Occasionally his expression would change and he would whisper something to Alex.

Alex was tucked back in bed orders of his uncle Jon. In return, Jonathan promised a play by play of the action in the next room.

Jonathan laughed at something filthy Kit had said to Rick. "Uncle Jooon! What are they saying?"

"Oh, Kit is being very nice to your father, very polite, actually", Jonathan lied.

"Yeah? and you can eat my shorts! I'm not a KID, Uncle Jon." Alex said with a sigh.

"Yes, you most certainly are a KID, now hush so I can listen!"

"Then whose the one holding the glass to the wall, huh?"

"Alex! Shush!"

"But who's winning the fight?" Suddenly, Jonathan spun around on his heels and glared at Alex. "They most certainly are NOT fighting."

He tried to look stern, but it just wasn't possible. Not after what he had heard going on next door, that was for certain!

Suddenly Jonathan looked as if he would cry, but then the corners of his mouth turned upwards and he grinned. Then he laughed and looked at Alex. "Well, actually, they ARE fighting and Kit is holding his own!"

Alex and Jon then started laughing and giggling, enjoying each other's company and having fun eavesdropping to boot.

Jonathan waved Alex over to the wall and picked up another glass off the cabinet. "Your mum will skin me alive if she catches you, but go on and place the glass here, like this. Now press your ear to the glass and you can hear EVERYTHING!"

Alex was impressed at how clearly he could hear what was being said next door. He felt sorry for Kit, and he wanted to tell him so next chance he had to…

"Uncle Jon? What are you doing?"

There was Jonathan toeing off his shoes and climbing onto the bed and then the end table. Rick was standing up now, evidently, and Jonathan needed a better vantage point to hear him.

In his sock feet Jonathan balanced on the end table being careful not to send the lamp crashing to the floor. He pressed the glass up to the wall again and stood there with his ear glued to it wearing a satisfied smile.

"Ah! Oh no, poor boy. The lad has had a rough go, I'll say." Jon said with a frown.

Then Alex stood from where he was squatting listening just like his uncle, when he bumped into the end table sending Jonathan and the lamp tumbling to the floor!

"Uncle Jon! Look out….!"

"Arrgh!" There sat Jon sprawled out on his backside with the lampshade sitting on top of his head, the fringe swinging back and forth from the movement.

"Bloody hell, Alex! Can't you look where you are going?"

"Well you shouldn't have been up there in the first place!"

Alex giggled, holding his hand over his mouth. Then he pointed to his uncle. "You should see yourself, it's hilarious!"

"Don't just stand there, I COULD USE SOME HELP IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE!"

Suddenly, the door to Jon's cabin swung open wide.

There was Evie standing with her hands on her hips and "The Look" in her eyes. Her eyes shot to the floor where she saw the lamp laying in several pieces.

"Jonathan? Alex? What have you managed to destroy THIS time?"

Then, without missing a beat, Jon pointed to Alex and Alex pointed to Jon and they both said at the same time, "HE did it!"

An hour passed and Evie went to the pilothouse to check on Ardeth who had been steering the boat for them during all of the commotion.

She plopped herself right down on the sofa up against the wall and looked up at Ardeth.

"So, how much further do we have?"

Ardeth shifted uneasily on his feet. Then he began to fumble with some charts and maps. "Yes, well, I have been looking over these maps and charts and … well, I… um you see…. Evelyn, I do not know where in Allah's name we are! I think we are off course." Ardeth blushed and Evie had to smile.

"Oh, that's alright Ardeth, I guess you know very little of navigating on the water, so please, don't worry. I'll go get Jonathan and he will figure out where we are and get us back on course in no time."

Evie forced a smile and turned around to walk out of the pilothouse. Then it hit her.

She turned back around and walked right up to poor Ardeth again and said in a matter of fact way, her tone not too harsh, "You know, this trip to Egypt hasn't even BEGUN and we already have a CHILD stowaway being held captive until he tells the interrogator everything he knows, two MORE CHILDREN in the galley doing dishes and mopping for breaking a lamp, AND, now, Ardeth my dear, we are LOST!"

"And who said no harm ever came from bringing your family and a smart-mouthed stowaway all the way to Egypt?"

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_A/N: Please remember to review! :)_


	8. Batch 8

_A/N: Thank you pepermint patty and mummy lover for the reviews!_

* * *

**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) January 14, 2003**  
Skarzinski had been riding closely behind the leader and another of the men in the long black robes. He had been listening intently to their exchanges during their journey through the desert. The sun was beginning it's decent and would set within an hour. The leader held up his hand, and the caravan came to a stop.

He addressed the group in his ancient language. "We will stop here for the night and wake before the rising of the sun to begin our journey once again."

_SHIT_! Skarzinski scowled. He was hoping to put more distance between himself and Cairo. He dared not argue for fear of causing suspicion. He followed suit with the others, dismounting and gathering what was needed. Within no time, they had a camp set up and everyone had settled down.

He had deliberately set up his small tent apart from the others with the opening facing the valley wall, and now stood outside of it, watching the group. One of the tattooed men approached him and offered him a makeshift plate with what looked to have once been the head of a snake.

"_Niy_," Skarzinski help up a hand refusing the offer. The tattooed man shrugged his shoulders and headed back to camp leaving him alone in the shadows of the valley.

He watched the men eat and laugh with one another not seeming aware that he was out there. The dark thoughts were beginning to overcome him once again. His hunger was becoming unbearable. It was a hunger that had nothing to do with the fact that he hadn't eaten since the early morning. No. He hungered for shed blood. He needed to kill something soon; preferably someone. But he couldn't kill one of these men. The group was too big and he would be stopped before he could even get started. The craving was getting worse. The power he felt when his victims were screaming and begging for their lives was unlike any he'd experienced. He grabbed his bottle of liquor and began walking alongside the wall of the valley in hopes to calm himself before he did something stupid.

His first two kills were merely out of greed. Robert and Adinah Carnahan, friends of his that he'd met at several archeological functions, were hot on the trail of what he'd dedicated his life to finding. He'd spent years searching, and he had heard that they stumbled upon some clues. They had accepted him into the expedition without telling him or anyone else what exact clues they found, but it wasn't enough. He wanted the whole of it, but they refused to share any information, explaining that even the smallest hint leaked could cause great chaos if it was found and put into the wrong hands. They only told him that when they finally found what they were looking for, they would immediately destroy it. Destroy it? They were insane! After seeing his stunned expression, they took turns explained to him what they had found out from some ancient scrolls.

_"The Scepter of Seth is said to have been created and used by Seth himself. It is recorded in the ancient scrolls as one of the most powerful objects to ever exist, but it's only great power is to fuel evil. It is said that upon Seth's destruction, his body turned to dust, but his black soul escaped in a wild hurricane wind that temporarily blocked out the light of the sun. The Scepter, which lay on it's side where it had been discarded, began to rise as if it possessed a life of it's own. The top opened as if there had been a seamless compartment and the soul of Seth began to funnel into it. Slowly at first, then ending at an alarming rate. Within the blink of an eye, the compartment slammed shut and the ground shook furiously as it opened and swallowed the Scepter. Seth had been prepared for anything; including the possibility of his destruction. But it appears Seth had more in his plans. For centuries, no one was able to find even a hint or clue of this ancient legend. It appears as if he was waiting for someone worthy enough to be his successor. Then we came upon another piece of information. This one seemed to have stated that due to a counter-curse, there were now two types of man who the Scepter would appear to:_

If he who finds the Scepter possesses a black heart,  
the soul of Seth will be released and merge with his giving him the power of Seth.

The counter-curse stated the following:

If he who finds the Scepter possesses a heart that is good and pure,  
he will be given the power to infinitely destroy the Scepter."

Adinah continued. "We have yet to find any documentation on how one with a good heart would go about destroying the Scepter of Seth. I have all of our clues, thoughts, and findings logged in a journal and I have poured over them dozens of times, and I feel as if there's something I'm missing or reading over."

Skarzinski had asked to have a look at the journal, but his request had been refused, once again due to taking precautions. The weeks went by and he watched as Adinah and Robert unearthed more clues and wrote more and more frequently in their journal. The thought of such a priceless treasure being destroyed because of some damned old story infuriated him. He had to have the Scepter of Seth. Slowly, his greed had begun to consume him and he was filled with hatred for the Carnahans. He dreamed ever night of holding the Scepter in his hands while Adinah and Robert crumbled in a slow painful death at his feet. That dream had become a favorite of his. He knew that they had to be taken out of the picture in order for him to get what was rightfully his, but how? It had to look like an accident. He thought back on it and gave a cruel smile. He had wandered off and found a group of four thieves and paid them off for their help. He instructed one of them to get some strong sleeping medicine, but nothing deadly. Only two would die tonight, and it would be by his hands. The rest would serve as murder suspects. He slipped the sleeping draught into the soup they'd be having for dinner. He waited until nightfall when everyone was knocked out and slipped into the Carnahans' tent. He killed them quickly and quietly, not wanting to take any risks. Oh how he wanted to hear their screams as he torture them with a slow and painful death, but he did not want any risk of being discovered. Two of the men he hired each carried one of the bodies while he instructed the other two to gather up all the journals and books they could find in the tent into sacks. He had been very clever in creating the fake deaths. He took pleasure in killing his next two victims. He imagined they were Adinah and Robert and slowly tortured them to death. He thought himself quite clever when he came up with the idea to mummify his two new victims in a cruel messy fashion so that the bodies wouldn't be recognized. The note he forged for the kids was to give the impression that the no longer recognizable people were the Carnahans. He wanted to make so many tracks leading in all different directions that the authorities would give up. He killed another two couples in different ways and hid those bodies in different places just to create more confusion. He had decided that he'd covered himself from blame and began looking through the various books and journals he had taken from the Carnahan's tent. He became furious after finding nothing that related to the Scepter of Seth and went out to the nearest kasbah to get drunk. He ended up taking a prostitute home and proceeded to beat her and torture her to death.

He'd then found out that many of the others that were at the dig were pointing their fingers in his direction with many of the same clues being given by each. "Skarzinski disappeared earlier that day and returned in the late afternoon." "Skarzinski didn't eat dinner that night." "Skarzinski and all his things were gone in the morning." Blah, blah, blah. He was mad that he'd made so many mistakes, and he blamed it all on the Carnahans. Damn them! They obviously had begun to suspect him of trying something, so had given the journal and other important documents to someone else in the group for safe keeping. But who? He decided to fake his own death, and this time he'd succeeded in fooling everyone. His anger took control and he began tracking down the people that were with the Carnahans. One by one he tore apart their homes and killed them. None would reveal anything or knew anything. Until he came to the home of the fourth person on his list. The weasel had some information. In hopes to save his pitiful life, which it hadn't, he told Skarzinski all that he heard while eavesdropping. This eventually led Skarzinski on another string of victims and eventually to the offspring of the Carnahans. Unfortunately, it seemed they had found out about him just as he was learning about them. He was not prepared and needed some time in hiding to come up with a plan.

He had nearly finished off the bottle of alcohol while he was rounding a bend and still had a strong urge for a killing. He looked up at the setting sun, and as if in answer to his needs, a woman in strange clothing stood up on a ridge with her back to him watching the setting sun. He gave a quiet evil laugh and his mouth watered in anticipation.

Gabrielle loved her daily ritual and looked forward to it all day. She would think of Jonathan while watching the sun set halfway in his time, then she'd go back through the tunnel to her time and finish watching the setting of the sun there while, once again, thinking of Jonathan. She stood there now right outside the mouth of the tunnel. The sun was about to start it's decent. She took Jonathan's pinky ring off her ring finger and held it while watching it shine in the remaining light. She smiled at her thoughts and hugged the ring to her, then continued to look at it. She couldn't wait until they could be back together again. She looked up again at the sun. It was time to head back.

Just as she was about to turn back toward the tunnel, Skarzinski placed a hand over her mouth and locked her wrists together with his other hand. "Well what do we have here?" he said as he pulled her against him and looked her over. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?"

Gabrielle panicked and wanted to scream. "Uh, uh… you keep quiet now. I'm going to take my hand off your mouth. If you scream, it'll be the last think you do." His hand roamed down the length of the arm. "It would be such a pity not to take advantage of what you could offer with that pretty little body of yours."

Bile rose in Gabrielle's throat. She had to think fast. The sun would be completely set soon and the opening to her time would close. Then, she'd be stuck with this scary guy and end up dead. She stood very still in hopes that he would think she was accepting his offer. It worked. As soon as the hand holding her wrists together loosened, she stepped forward and brought her leg back with all her might. She'd gotten him right in the shin. Damn. She was aiming for higher. As she turned, she brought along with her a mean right hook and knocked him on his ass. Despite the pain in her heal from the shin kick, she ran.

Skarzinski picked himself off the ground and grabbed the knife out of his boot. He was close behind her and just about to catch up to her when all of a sudden, he ran smack into a wall, knocking himself out for the count.

Gabrielle saw that the sun had just completely disappeared right when she cleared the tunnel to her time. She looked back, and sure enough, the tunnel was sealed. She sat down on the ground and rocked herself gently as she examined her heal and her already bruising right hand. She gasped and immediately looked to her left hand. There was nothing there. The ring! No! She began to cry. She must have dropped it in her shock or her struggle; she didn't know which. Damn it! Ever since she'd become all sentimental, she'd been doing nothing but screwing up. Now, there may be a man, a bad man no less, that knows about the tunnel. She prayed to Isis in hopes that the man had been knocked out.

Several hours later, Skarzinski began to stir. He put his hand to his throbbing head and opened his eyes. Where the hell was he? He remembered a woman. He sat up and looked around. It was a dream. He must have had way too much to drink, but at least his craving to kill had settled. He got up and walked out of the tunnel. He looked at the moon and knew he'd been out for some time. His damn leg was hurting him. He bend down to try and rub some of the pain out of it when a glint caught his eye. "What's this," he thought. He picked it up and saw it was a ring. His head whipped back to the tunnel thinking about the woman, then his gaze returned to the ring. It was a man's ring. He placed the ring on his pinky finger and admired it. He was thoroughly convinced that the woman was a dream, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why the hell his shin and left cheek hurt, or why he had blood coming from a bump on his head. He wandered back to his tent to drown his pain in some of his more potent liquor and proceeded to pass out.

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan)**** January 15, 2003  
**Having to clean the galley, wasn't what Alex or Jonathan considered as a fun task, and really, Jonathan was doing most of the work, while Alex sat on one of the stools, feeling worse than he had when they had been eavesdropping on his dad and Kit. "I think Mum has gone a little Loopy," Alex said as he rested his head on the counter top at the bar.

Jonathan looked over at him from where he was mopping the floor. "You know how she is about eavesdropping," he said, sympathetically. His sister had put both of them in here to clean, saying that if Alex was well enough to spy on his father, that he was well enough to help clean, though looking at the boy, Jonathan wasn't too sure about that. "I don't think she would be quite so loopy as you say, if it weren't for me," he said, then smiled.

Alex lifted his head and looked at his uncle. "So you did something that forever jinxed me when I eavesdrop?" asked Alex, though more interested than annoyed.

"Lets just say that once I got a hold of her Diary, and that perhaps I shared some of that information with a certain young fellow she had a crush on," he said. Both of them laughed at that, then Jonathan frowned as Alex coughed. "Look partner, what say you go back to bed. I can handle this and you need to rest. If she gives you any trouble just tell her I forced you to rest," he said.

After thanking his Uncle, Alex left to go back to his bed, grateful that they were such good friends.

While they were good friends, another uncle and nephew were not doing as well. When Evelyn had left to go see what all the commotion was about in the next room, Kit had clamed up, and hadn't spoken a word since her departure. For Rick that was frustrating. He wanted Kit to feel a part of the family. He felt obligated to protect him as he had done for Alex, but the boy was no closer to trusting him than Rick was willing to trust that they wouldn't find some god awful curse when they arrived in Egypt.

"I need to go see how close to Egypt we are getting, but I will be back," Rick finally said as he stood from his chair.

"I'll be sure to have a party when you return," Kit grumbled. He watched as Rick left and when he was gone he looked at the plate of food that Evelyn had left him. He had thought about not eating but his stomach had been grumbling since she had left the sandwich and cookies, and without another thought he scarfed down every last piece. As he was eating the last bite, the door knob twisted, then she stepped in, and Kit, though still annoyed by their persistence, was glad it was her, instead of him.

"Would you like anything else to eat?" Evelyn said as she looked at the empty plate, and empty glass.

"No thank you," he said politely. When she sat down he heaved a sigh, wishing they would all just disappear.

"We are off course, but Rick seems to think that we should still be able to get to Egypt by early tomorrow afternoon," she informed. When she didn't get a response from him she continued. "I'm not so sure about doing all of this. The man who killed my parents and your family is dangerous. I'm worried that something will happen to one of us, and after everything I've lost I'm not sure I could be strong enough to handle anything like that."

He knew she was trying to be nice, but he wanted to be alone to plan what he would do when they did reach land. He for one wasn't going to stick around, and even if he had to fight an army, he was going to get away, find the man who had killed his grandfather and his parents, and make him pay dearly for what he had done. Once she had gone, Kit got up and walked to the far end of the room where his duffel was, and from that pulled out his fiddle. It had gotten wet, and as he played a few chords, he realized that it was in bad need of tuning. He reached in his duffel and got his pitch pipe and began to tune it up, hoping that a little Music would liven his mood and make him forget all that had taken place.

**Penny - January 16, 2003**  
Once Kit finished tuning his father's fiddle, he put the pitch pipe back in his bag. Instinct told him to make sure, his Papere's secret was safe. "Guard this with your very life, Kit," his grandfather had warned. "If you don't, your Mother and Father will have died in vain, just as the Carnahan's and countless others have. Keep it close to you. You'll know when the time comes what to do, but you must be brave child. You must be brave and keep your wits about you. Remember the power is in your hands."

At first Kit had thought, his Papere was just loosing his marbles. His dad would have said his bucket had a hole in it, but since he had witnessed his grandfather's murder and his attempted murder, he wasn't so sure now. But who the hell would want that worthless piece of cheap junk?

He pulled the flash light out, from the bottom of the bag and felt it's familiar weight. Unscrewing the end, he tilted it as the object inside, slowly slid toward the opening. "Yeah, junk," he mumbled to himself. "Cheap ass trinket, you can get in the Cairo market place! But why the hell would somebody want it so bad to kill for it?" That's a question he'd personally ask Skarzinski, while he was on his knees, just before Kit blew his brains all over, like the man had done to his father, as his mother laid with her throat slit open from ear to ear. Bastard was gonna pay the piper and Kit was gonna play the tune.

He tilted the flashlight back up and the cylinder slid back into place. After he screwed the cap back on, he shoved it deep inside his duffel, pushing the old journal back over it and miscellaneous things over that. He'd read the journal later. Aswad Fulana wasn't the best read in the world, but maybe, just maybe, it would give him a clue as to where Skarzinski might be. Luckily the O'Connell's had only gotten one journal, but this one his Papere had hidden in the upstairs safe and this one, this one they weren't gonna get their grubby little hands on.

Up on the deck and in Alex's cabin flowed the sweet strains of fiddle music. Heads turned looking at one another in surprise and wonder. Who was playing and where was it coming from? There was only one answer, when they heard the words.

_"Jole blonde, regardez donc quoi t'as fait,  
Tu m'as quitte pour t'en aller,  
Pour T'en aller avec un autre, oui, que moi,  
Quel espoir et quel avenir, mais, moi, je, vais avoir?_

Jole Blonde, tu m'as laisse, moi tout seul,  
Pour t'en aller chez ta famille.  
Si t'aurais pas ecoute tos les conseiles de les autres  
tu serait ici-t-avec moi aujourd 'hui

Jole blonde, tu croyais il y avait just toi,  
ll ya pas just toi dans le pays pour moi aimer.  
Je peux trouver just une autre jolie blonde,  
Bon Dieu sait, moi, j'ai un tas."

"I say, that was bloody brilliant!" Jonathan Carnahan said in the doorway, a big smile on his face, as he clapped his hands. His nephew stood next to him, imitating his uncle.

"It was! Where ever did you learn to play like that?"

Oh shit, Kit moaned to him self. Grandpaw and Junior! Who else would show up, that he hadn't heard? Probably that overgrown ape! Bastard tries to take this fiddle, he thought, I'll stick it where the sun don't shine!

"Kit that was beautiful, Sweetheart!"

Oh GOD! The ape's wife the, zoo keeper, which meant the ape wasn't far behind. Then there was that Med-Jai. A warrior, a zoo keeper, an ape, Junior and Grandpaw. Who ever said three strikes and you were out. Bastard should have his head examined, cause he sure couldn't count worth a damn! Kit was looking at six strikes and he couldn't even get up to bat! Besides, if it hadn't been for that Med-Jai, he could have stolen that lifeboat, but the sorry sonuvabitch grabbed him from behind and jerked him back down the steps with Grandpaw's help and they locked him up in this rat hole. Yeah, that was another one who was gonna meet Mr. Knee as soon as he got off the boat in Cairo.

"Kit what were you playing? I've never heard anything like it? I know it's some form of French, but I can't place it."

He looked up at the woman, claiming to be his aunt and for just a second her smile caused his anger to abate. "It's Cajun French. The songs called 'Jole Blonde.' It was written by a feller name of Amadie Breau. It's kinda like the Cajun National Anthem, ya know? No big deal. Sorry bout the noise. I'll put it up."

What surprised him was the loud chorus of "NO's" that echoed in the hold. "Please don't!" and "Play some more!" and there was even a "Could you teach me how to play the violin?" That really got his attention. He looked at the blonde headed kid and was shocked to see, the kid really wanted to know how to play.

"It's not a violin," Kit said matter-of-factly, "It's a fiddle. At least that's how I play it, anyway."

Alex went over, and flopped down by Kit on the pallet. "Can I see it, you know, just to have a look? I'll give it right back."

Kit looked at Alex, then at his father's fiddle, and nodded handing it to the boy, with great care. "Be careful, huh? It was my Dad's and before that, it was his Dad's."

Alex nodded and began to examine the instrument that only minutes before had filled his cabin with music. "What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin, if you don't mind me asking?"

"You got a nickname?"

Alex looked at him, wary now. He had a feeling Kit's mouth was going to shoot off and he would get the full blast. "Yes, Uncle Jon sometimes calls me Sport or Partner," he answered cautiously.

Well there ya go. A fiddle is just a nickname for a violin."

"Like Kit?"

Kit is just short for Christopher, that's all. But yeah, if you wanna look at it like that, it's just a nickname, too."

"Can you play something else? Please?"

Kit looked at Alex and again he nodded. "This time I'll play it the way my Mom taught me okay? She taught violin, before..." Kit caught himself and giving himself a mental shake, dismissed what he was going to say. "Sure. Yeah." He thought a few minutes and one of his Mother's favorite songs came to mind. He put the fiddle to his chin, closed his eyes, giving sight to his fingers and let the bow glide over the strings.

Jonathan's eyes lit up. "Say, I know that song!"

Kit looked up at the man. "Yeah? Know the words, do ya?"

"I should say I do! That's 'The Skye Boat Song'." It was written about Charles Edward Stewart, the Young Pretender to the thrown. He was defeated by the Duke of Cumberland on Culloden Moor in 1746. Flora MacDonald, aided Bonnie Prince Charlie to escape to the island of Skye, where he was later taken by a French Vessel to Morlaix on the coast of Bretagne, "John said proudly remembering his history.

"Yeah, yeah, that's nice, but do you know the words?"

"Play boy!"

Again kit began to play and Jonathan added the lyrics.

"Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,  
Onward, the sailors cry  
Carry the lad who was born to be king  
Over the sea to skye

Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,  
Thunder clouds rend the air;  
Baffled our foe's stand on shore  
Follow they will not dare

Speed bonnie boat...

Through the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep  
Ocean's a royal bed  
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep  
Watch by your weary head

Speed bonnie boat...

Many's the lad fought on that day  
Well the claymore could wield  
When the night came, silently lay  
Dead on Culloden's field

Speed bonnie boat...

Burned are our homes, exile and death  
Scatter the loyal men  
Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath,  
Charlie will come again.

Speed bonnie boat...

Yeah, speed bonnie boat, Kit thought. I'm coming Skarzinski. I'm comin' for you, you chicken shit sonuvabitch!

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_A/N: Please review!_


	9. Batch 9

_A/N: Thank you to the Guest who reviewed!_

* * *

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) January 19, 2003**  
Gabrielle ran as fast as she could back to her brother's hut, the wind whipping her dark hair across her face, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps, burning her lungs. The sand was being kicked up behind her in little jets, and the sound that her leather thongs were making when they impacted the miniscule grains was abrasive. When she reached the hut she flung open the wooden door and bolted into the quiet interior, sweat trickling down her face.

"Gabs, what's wrong, my pet?" came Senbi's drawling question.

She held up a finger to silence him as she tried desperately to catch her breath.

"Senbi, oh it's all my fault! We've been discovered... the portal, everything's going wrong!" She started to sob uncontrollably, throwing herself into her brother's arms.

"Shh Gabrielle, you aren't making any sense, calm down, try to breathe first and then talk to me." Senbi said gently stroking her damp hair.

Gradually her breathing slowed, and she was able to regain her composure. "Senbi, I was discovered. A horrible man tried to kill me up in the cave, and I just barely escaped before the portal closed. We have to do something so that we won't be discovered... Please..." she paused "help me think of something!"

"Well, what did he look like?"

"I don't know... I didn't get a good look at him, most of the time he had a knife pressed to my throat. He was strong, but also very drunk, his breath smelled horribly like hard liquor. But I lost Jonathan's ring."

Senbi started to laugh. "Gabs..." he said teasingly. "Why are you worried about a drunk man? He probably just went a little off of his rocker and is now lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of the cliff. There's no need to be concerned."

"But, he was intent on killing Senbi. Not necessarily me... I just happened to be there, unarmed and vulnerable, the man was crazy- I could see it in his eyes when I turned on him and punched him. It was very frightening.

I just think we need to be cautious, that's all. Because, even though I highly doubt that this man can find his way back to our time, there is always the slight possibility that he could, and then we would be in for a heavy ordeal."

Senbi nodded his affirmation. "Well, what do you suppose we do about it?"

"There are two feasible solutions, however, the second one I do not like at all."

"Ok... spit 'em out why don't you?"

"First, we could set up someone to guard the portal, only when it's open. They would sleep when it was closed, and guard when open. This I think, would work rather well; assuming whoever is in charge of it does not let their guard down. Nefret's out of the question, so that leaves you and me, dear brother." She watched as Senbi swallowed hard, a small smile dancing across her lips.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... so what's the second idea genius?"

Gabrielle looked down. "We could find a way to close the portal, destroy it if we had to. If this man passes into our world he could destroy it by just snapping his fingers. History could be changed forever. He could kill someone in his thirst for blood. Evie, John, Rick, and Ardeth could just vanish, because maybe that man would have saved the princess Nefertiri or Osiris. Then they would not be reincarnated if they were to die. Senbi, do you understand the magnitude of what I am explaining to you!? We can not fail in this. If we chose to simply guard the portal we can not make a single mistake. Do you hear me? NONE."

"Yes." Senbi replied, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "I know how much closing the portal would do to you, what you have sacrificed by even suggesting such an idea. But, in our case I do not suggest we go to that much of an extreme. I will guard the portal. Your job is to protect Nefret at all costs, she is the one who is pregnant, and she needs your company, she does not wish for mine."

Gabrielle's eyes lit up and a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh thank you Senbi! You are good for something at last!" She embraced him, hugging his slighter frame towards her.

"Ha... very funny!" he replied sarcastically into her shoulder.

Ardeth was just about to snuff the candle next to his bed when he heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in." He replied, the regret showing in his voice. An extremely tired looking Jonathan plodded into Ardeth's room and plunked himself down onto his bed wearily. "What is wrong my friend? You do not look yourself."

"Well aside from drinking too much Glen Livet..." Jonathan sighed as he saw Ardeth's smile. "Hey Ardeth, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. Anytime."

Jonathan raked his fingers through his hair, pausing to rub his eyes as he did so. "Are you truly in love with Nefret? Do you think about her every waking moment that you exist? Does everything you do bring up an image of her in your mind, one which you can not blow away because it is so permanent that even the gods could not wipe it from you?"

"Yes. At least, that's one way to put it. I miss her terribly. She is pregnant and I have no idea how she is doing, whether she is safe, lonely, or in pain. Everything's a mystery to me. I just pray to Allah that when this is all over and I return to her I will not be too late, that I will be in time to witness our child's birth."

"I miss Gabrielle so much. She's the first woman I have ever been in love with, and definitely the last. I blame myself because when I left her I did not do a very gentlemanly job of saying goodbye. I hope that she still has the ring that I put on her finger..." He said, looking down at his hands nervously.

"Now, now my friend. There is nothing to be ashamed of. When you love a woman there is no other single emotion that can mirror, match, or compete with the feeling it." Ardeth placed a comforting hand on Jonathan's shoulder, then added. "I am sure she greatly appreciates your gift to her, and we will be seeing our women soon enough for we arrive in Egypt tomorrow."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "I know... and that's what I am afraid of."

Rick looked at the sun in the sky. It was directly over head and he could just make out land in front of him. _At last_. He thought. _At last we are getting closer to our final destination_. He sighed heavily and then jumped slightly as he felt warm arms encircle his waist. "So... you finally decided to get up!"

The warm arms withdrew, and he immediately regretted what he had just said.

Evie moved around in front of him. "I have been up for a while. Now, if you don't want the lunch I have been making you, you can just leave make yourself a sandwich, and I will take the wheel."

"But Evie, you don't even know how to sail!" Rick protested."

"What is there to it. Egypt's straight ahead isn't it?" She smiled devilishly up at him.

Rick had seen how her eyes had lit up as she said the word Egypt. That concerned him. The woman was insatiable! "No... on the other hand I rather would like that delicious sandwich you just made for me. It looks **very** tasty." His eyes were focused on her lips, and the sandwich they created. Then slowly he bent down, kissing her hard and fast as she leaned into it, moaning.

"Oooh, you evil, evil man!" Evelyn said her eyes dancing with happiness.

Rick looked at her. "I have missed you Evelyn. When we get back to London you and I need to have some time alone together. **All** alone. No Alex, no Jonathan, no Kit, no Ardeth, no Alan Skarzinski... just you and me and a nice big bed!"

Evelyn then reached out, grabbing his balls with her fists and squeezing them gently. She waited until his breathing quickened and then released him. "That sounds absolutely lovely dear, now if you will excuse me, I have work to do!"

"Evie!" His voice was full of lust as he grabbed her around the waist as she tried to get away. "Please..."

"No darling, not on deck. Maybe later."

"You are a horrible, horrible woman, do you know that?"

She flashed him a smile. "Yes, I am quite aware of the fact. Goodbye dear, see you in Egypt!"

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan)**** January 24, 2003**  
After spending three days in the hold, Kit was more than ready to get out on his own and find the man who destroyed his life, taking from him the only family he had ever needed or wanted. It was the sun shining in his face which woke him on that third morning, as well as his stomach growling. For several moments he was still, letting the gentle rock of the boat lull him, then a knock at his door ended his time of relaxation.

In a few minutes they would be docking, and after waking Alex and Jonathan, Evie decided to inform Kit they would be dockside soon. "Kit?" she called out. When he told her to come in she unlocked the door and informed him they would be docking.

Before she left, Kit called her back. "I just wanted to thank ya for being nice to me," he said, then looked down, his hair falling into his face, not sure if he should have said anything to her.

"Kit, perhaps when we find Alan, and all of that is behind us, you could stay with us. We have a whole wing, that no one uses."

"Maybe," he said. When she left he was glad. He sat up, stepping away from the cot and put on his own cloths, ones she had washed for him and mended. After dressing he got into his duffel, pulling out a book. In the middle of the book, was his pocket knife, hidden in the pages, which he had carved away, to keep his secret safe.

Very easily he picked the lock, taking with him his duffel. When no one appeared to be there he snuck up to the main deck, ducking low as he passed by the Wheel room. They were docking, and the men on the main land were helping them tie up. Quickly Kit ran to the far end of the boat and made his escape. He ran behind some crates, catching his breath, knowing that he would need to go to the Market and buy supplies he needed. He would have to figure out where to go, but wouldn't worry about that until he had what he needed.

What Kit did not know was that he was being followed. Alex had climbed up on the mast, and had seen Kit heading for the far end of the yacht. It had not been easy, but he had followed him off of the yacht, and now was walking around the docks looking for him, not knowing the danger which awaited both he and Kit.

Having played numerous games of hide and seek, with his unwilling parents as a child, Alex surmised that Kit was hiding out behind several of the stacks of crates, and began to look there. He was getting further away from his father's yacht, and walked past where Kit was hiding without even knowing it.

After making sure he had enough money, and getting everything ready, Kit was about to head into the main hub of Cairo when someone passed by, someone he knew. "Damn kid," he muttered to himself as he stepped out from the crates grabbing Alex by the arm. Alex tried to punch him, but his swing was way off. "Calm down it's me," he said.

Alex turned feeling embarrassed that Kit now knew he couldn't really protect himself. "So that's it then? After my mum feeds you, fixes your cloths, gives you a cot to sleep on rather than the floor, your just going away?" he asked.

"I never asked for her to be nice to me, besides I work alone," he said as he began to walk away from Alex at a hurried pace. When Alex ran up beside him he stopped. "Look, go on back to your family, I have enough to deal with on my own, and I don't need to be baby-sittin' for ya," Kit said.

"I'm not going anywhere, and I can take care of myself," Alex side offended by Kit's comment. Not looking where he was going he bumped into a few boys not much older than he was, and was instantly on the ground. The other boys started to advance on him, and Alex was both relieved and embarrassed when Kit took control of the situation.

All that it took for Kit to make the boys realize they were not allowed to hurt Alex, was punching the tallest of the bunch in the mouth. The other two boys stood there stunned, then ran off, followed by their injured companion.

"So what was that ya were saying?" Kit asked as he pulled Alex to his feet.

"I can shoot good," Alex tried.

"I don't have time to fight with ya, so come on," Kit said as he pulled Alex with him.

The two of them headed into the city, not knowing the panic and anger they were causing back at the ship.

**Penny - January 26, 2003**  
Rick O'Connell was fit to be tied. "Evie stay here, in case Alex comes back!"

"But Rick!"

"No buts, Evie! Stay here! I'm gonna kill that damn kid! Don't he know Skarzinski will kill him, if he finds him? Damn fool kid! What the hell is he thinkin'?" Rick checked the chambers of his Colts and shoved them back in his shoulder holster. "And Alex! What in the hell is goin' through his mind!"

"We'll get them back. Calm down Rick. We'll find them," Jonathan offered nervously.

"Calm down? Calm down, Jon? I AM CALM!"

Yes and the moon is made of green cheese, too, Jonathan thought. No wonder Rick was graying at the temples. It was a wonder his blood pressure wasn't over the moon!

With a look of grim determination on his face, he snapped at Jonathan and Ardeth, "Let's do it!"

"Bring them back safe, Sweetheart," Evie whispered in his ear, as she kissed him.

"Right after I tear up some ass! Count on it, Hon!"

Three hours later as the sun beat down from overhead, there was still no sign of Alex or Kit. Rick's temper had not cooled. If anything, it was worse. "Damn! Where are they?"

"If we split up, ahi, we can cover more ground," Ardeth told him watching the street.

"Yeah. Okay. Now if I was their age, where would I go?"

"Chances are Alex is following Kit. Maybe, so he can come back and tell you where he went," Jonathan offered hopefully, as he wiped the sweat from his eyes.

"Yeah and maybe he's just taggin' along," Rick groaned, knowing his son all too well. "That sounds more like it and that means they could already be out of the city, cause Alex knows the way!"

He scanned the surrounding area and his eyes widened. "Jon! Check the house! They might be there! I don't know why I didn't think of it before! If you find them, keep 'em there, even if you have to lock Kit in a damned closet! Right now I don't care, just do what you have to do!"

Jon nodded and took off running, headed for the home that had once been his and Evie's parents.

"Ardeth? You got and 'friends' in town?"

"Not unless the Med-Jai are in the marketplace getting supplies, but I know of someone who may know."

"Good. Go check. I'll meet you at Castor's, in the marketplace about one. If I'm not there wait for me!" he said, turning and started to sprint off.

"Where are you going?" Ardeth called out.

"To check the back streets! That's where I'd be if I didn't want to be seen. One o'clock, Ardeth! One o'clock!"

Ardeth watched his turn a corner and then he headed for the British Museum. His contact Momar El Fadhas would know if the Med-Jai were in town today. Someone would have checked in with him.

"Kit, wait up!" Alex called, trying to keep up.

Kit stopped and turned so quickly that Alex plowed right into him. "Look! I told you ten times already, GO...BACK...TO..THE...BOAT! What part of that don't you understand?"

"But you need me for cripes sake! How else are you gonna get around?"

"On two feet!" he ground out.

Alex just folded his arms and smirked. "Yeah, well who's gonna show you where everything is smart guy? YOU NEED ME!"

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Like Europe needed the plague."

"Face it I know where everything is. YOU NEED ME!"

"Wanna bet, old buddy?"

Alex, not to be deterred, grinned at him. "Oh yeah? "Where's the British Museum?"

"It's on the north side of Midan el Tahrir."

"That's a lucky guess. What's the best place to eat?"

"The Paradise Oasis and it's the most expensive. Castor's is the cheapest, but the food's still good. It's in the marketplace, next to Sahibs, a junk dealer, who sells cheap homemade artifacts, he makes in a one room hut behind his stall. The best place to get a drink is a French place called Bordeaux's, unless you like cheap bathtub hotch, then you can head for the Kasbah over on Sharia el Nil. Let's see what else? If you were older and looking for more 'manly' entertainment, you could go to the Golden Genie on Aswan down in the Old Quarter. But what they sell there Buster, you can't buy till you're old enough to shave! NOW WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?"

"You've been here before!" Alex accused with wide eyes.

"Duh Sherlock, ya think?" What was your first clue?"

"You could have said something."

Kit shook his head and threw both hands in the air. "GO...BACK...TO...YOUR...FOLKS! I don't need a side kick, Tonto! It's dangerous out here!" He adjusted the shoulder strap on his pack and glared at Alex who continued to watch him. "GO HOME SQUIRT! If I want to be followed, I'll buy a dog!"

"What will you do when you find him?" Alex asked quietly. "Skarzinski I mean."

"Kit sighed and looked away, feeling the painful lump form in his throat. "Never you mind. Just go on and go back to your family now, okay?"

"They're your family too, Kit."

Kit shook his head. 'Nope! You're wrong Sport. My family's dead. I don't want any more! They're too easy to loose. And where I'm goin', I don't need that kinda baggage. They would only end up like mine. Cannon fodder. Oh and tell your Mom not to worry, I'll take good care of Skarzinski for her and Grandpa with his busted wing."

"His name is Uncle Jon. He's your UNCLE too, just like my Dad is your UNCLE."

"Don't need one Alex. Definitely don't need two, old buddy. Don't need an Aunt or a Med-Jai or you for that matter. I work alone! That way I only depend on the three of us. ME, MYSELF and I! NOW GO HOME, KID! Bet it! Amscray! Chow! Fare thee well! Adieu! Adios! Cheerio! Keep a stiff upper lip and all that shit! Catch ya in the Sunday Funnies! Don't let the door knob hit ya where God split ya! Just make like horse shit and hit the trail, Tonto!" he smirked at the wide eyed kid.

Kit waved a final farewell and turned right into Rick's waiting arms! "WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOIN',LONE RANGER?"

"SHIT!"

"DAD!"

"Rick's blue eyes snapped at his son and Alex knew he was in deep trouble, that only an act of God could get him out of. "You are grounded for life, Buddy! You'll be ninety-five and still eatin' dinner in your room!"

"And you'll be ninety-five and still won't be able to find your nuts!"

Before Rick could say, "Huh?", Kit introduced his knee to Rick's groin. Rick bent double, his face turning white, then five shades of green, as he went to his knees and rolled on his side. Alex was by Rick's side in a heartbeat, as he glared up at Kit, who was slowly backing away.

"Bloody bastard! I hate you! I hate you!"

"GOOD! I'M GLAD! Now take your Dad home while you still have one, before some sonuvabitch kills his dumb ass! You'll thank me for this someday, Alex!" With that Kit turned and ran down the narrow back street and disappeared around a corner.

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_A/N: Please review! :)_


	10. Batch 10

**Desiree - February 2, 2003**  
"Senbi!"

"What!?" The startled man yelped out as he was jolted awake by the screaming Gabrielle.

"Senbi! You promised me you would help me protect the entrance! You lying son of a..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Senbi was groggily apologizing to the fuming Gabrielle.

"Allah-dammit-all, Senbi! You have to stay awake! What if he came through here while you were dozing off, you bugger!? What if."

"It's all right! I only dozed for a second; he didn't come through. Don't worry!" The still hazy Senbi was trying to calm his now hysterical sister.

"Senbi," Gabrielle tried to come up with the words to chastise her brother, but the emotion took over her, and she slumped her shoulders in weary resign.

"Hey, hey- it's ok. This'll all be over soon. Jonathan and Ardeth will be back soon, and then we can destroy the tunnel." When this didn't comfort Gabrielle, Senbi tried to change the conversation, "Um, why are you here, anyway? Shouldn't you be back with Nefret?"

Gabrielle smacked Senbi on the chest for his stupidity, "I'm here to take over the watch, you idiot!"

"Oh, thank Allah! I'm exhausted."

"Senbi, you, you…!"

"Oh, sorry." Senbi turned to go back to his hut and collapse on his bed. "See you later."

"Take care of Nefret, you, you, bugger!" Gabrielle, once again, depended on her British terminology to annoy and put down her brother.

When Senbi shrugged and didn't answer, Gabs turned around to the entrance of the tunnel and started pacing back and forth in front of it. "Oh, Jon, where are you?"

"ALEX! What the bloody hell did you think you were doing? You could've been hurt! You are SO grounded!" Evie was beside herself with anger. "Rick? Where's Kit? Alex- go to your room. Jonathan, watch him!"

"C'mon, Alex." Jon took Alex's arm and led him away from the fuming couple. "We'd better go." Alex nodded and followed his uncle off of the deck and down into the ship to his quarters.

"Rick?" Evie looked at her husband, searching for some answers.

"Kit kicked me in the balls and ran away." Rick's annoyed and pained voice failed to catch Evie's attention.

"Dammit! We were so nice to him! I wanted to have him be a part of our family." Finally the pain in his voice registered, "Oh, dear. Rick? Are you all right?"

Rick was walking with his legs spread slightly apart, and then he sat down slowly and painfully into a chair and looked up at Evie, "Oh, yeah- I'm goddamn perfection."

"Oh, dear. What are we going to do, now?" Evie sat down next to Rick and rubbed her forehead with her hand.

Rick sighed, "I don't know, but we'd better get going anyway. Where's Ardeth?" Rick had just noticed that their Med-jai friend had disappeared.

"I'm right here." Ardeth walked in just at that moment.

"Where've you been?" Rick slowly turned to see Ardeth walking towards them.

"I went to see some friends of mine, but they have left." Ardeth paused, "I do not know why they left with such haste. I thought they were supposed to be here another week, but I might have be mistaken." Ardeth's brow furrowed.

Rick didn't like the idea of Ardeth being wrong, "Where were they going?"

Ardeth hesitated, "Hamunaptra."

"Ah, fuck." Rick's frustration showed clearly on his face.

Ardeth hated having to say this, "We have to find them- we are going to need them to find Skarzinski."

"Shit." Rick swung up his hands and stood up, but too quickly. He leaned over to his groin and groaned in pain. "You know what this means, don't you? I'm gonna have to ride a fuckin' camel."

**Penny - February 8, 2003**  
Rick straightened up, a grimace marred his face for the umpteenth time since he had been back. He was beginning to think, it would be permanently etched there thanks to his nephew. "There has to be another way," he groaned, thinking a camel ride may just finish what Kit had started. If he ever got his hands on that kid...no best not to entertain that thought too long, he just might start enjoying it too much. He pushed Kit from his mind and thought for a second. What had he told Evie and Jon about getting around with all the traveling, they'd have to do? They'd practically need a ..."YES! No camels boys and girls! Ut-huh! Nope! Got a better idea. Let's go! Everybody out the door!" he grimaced again, waving his arms. "Grab your bags and let's go. Got a magic carpet to catch!"

"Rick what are you rambling about?"

"No time babe, he got a boat to catch," he said mysteriously and wiggled his eyebrows at her. Her eyes widened and she smiled as his meaning took root in her mind, and she kissed him. "You're brilliant darling!"

"Yeah?" he answered flatly. "Tell me that when they slip the noose back around my neck."

Evie frowned at her husband. "What are you going to do, Rick?"

When he began to rummage through the first aid pack, he looked up with a frustrated grimace on his face. "I'm gonna kill that damned kid!" He went back to rummaging in the bag. "EVIE! WHERE THE HELL IS THE DAMN ASPRIN?"

An hour later they arrived in front of The Magic Carpet Airlines sign. It hadn't looked much better than the last time they'd been there. In fact, it looked exactly the same, to the passengers in the cab. Although there were mixed emotions from the back seat. Alex was ecstatic, Jonathan groaned and if Rick didn't know better, he'd swear Ardeth turned a pale shade of green. "Cheer up guys! It could be worse! It's not like it's the Titanic!"

It was. IT WAS THE GODDAMN TITANIC! Rick scrubbed his hand down his face in disbelief as if the mere action would erase the view in front of his eyes. He brushed his hand through his hair and wondered if he'd still get the same rotten toothed little executioner he had the last time they had tried to hang him, when he shot Izzy Buttons, deader than a door nail. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" He felt the laughter bubble up in his throat only this time, he wondered if it was the kick he had taken to the family jewels. Hadn't Evie told him a couple times, he should quit thinking with what was in the front of his pants? Kit probably gave the poor thing a concussion, he laughed out loud. That would explain the silly laughter that seemed to be coming out of him.

He wiped away a tear that threatened to trickled out of his eye, as he waved them off. He stared at what once, no doubt, been a sea going wreck waiting to happen. It was at least twenty feet bigger, looked like it had never seen a damned coat of paint, half of the boards looked rotten. In fact, the only thing Rick could tell that was the same thing, was the nets that hung over the sides. He looked all around then.

"What the hell are you lookin' for O'Connell?" the wiry little man wanted to know.

"The animals. Shouldn't they be showing up, in pairs?"

"Still a smart ass, are we O'Connell?"

"It keeps me alive."

"Yeah and walkin' bowlegged, I see," he snickered.

"I suggest if you don't wanna get shot in the other side of your ass, you get in the Titanic and fire that puppy up."

"OH! You saw that did you?"

"Saw what?"

"The name on the bow, of course!"

Rick squeezed his eyes shut, and rubbed his forehead hard, then turned to Evie and squinted one eye open at her. "Tell me I'm wrong," he groaned.

She grinned up at him. "Sorry Sweetheart. The SS Titanic."

The song lilted over the desert, filling the loneliness as Kit sat high atop a camel he had bought in the market place and promptly named it O'Connell. He based it on the fact that the animal, was tall, ugly and loped along like a gorilla and it liked its rider as much as the man, that said he was his uncle. Well that was okay. Kit didn't want another relative. They had a habit of turning up dead too many times. More bodies on the ground he didn't need. He was just fine alone. And when he was done, he'd see Mom , Pop, and Papere again.

Some glad morning when this life is over,  
I'll fly away;  
To a home on God's celestial shore,  
I'll fly away, I'll fly away.

"Gotcha!" Rick grinned as he looked through the telescope at the camel and rider. "Give your soul to God boy, cause your ass is mine!"

I'll fly away, Oh Glory  
I'll fly away; in the morning  
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by.  
I'll fly away, I'll fly away.

"Izzy get lower! No! Lower dammit! Get lower!"

"What do you want me to do goddamn skim the ground?"

"Close, but not that close," he snapped tying a rope around his waist and securing it to a sturdy piece of planking. "Now get just a little lower."

When the shadows of this life have gone,  
I'll fly away;  
Like a bird from prison bars has flown,  
I'll fly away, I'll fly away.

He climbed up over the side while the passengers of the small craft watched in shock and disbelief. "Rick have you lost your mind?" Evie cried out.

He grinned at her and rolled up his sleeves. "Nope. Give us a kiss for luck, Babe. I'm goin' fishin'."

"More like going mad," Jonathan said looking at Ardeth, who nodded in agreement.

"Quit jaw jackin' and get over here and help you two! Izzy, goddammit, get lower! You can't expect me to catch a big fish if I can't reach it!"

Just a few more weary days and then,  
I'll fly away;  
To a land where joy shall never end,  
I'll fly away, I'll fly away.

Rick began to climb down the netting till he hung, by one hand on the netting and one above him on the rope. His legs dangled and the balloon glided closer, to it's quarry. Just a few more feet. He could hear the song Kit was singing. Carrie Anne sung it to him when he was little, he remembered. He reached out, as the balloon drew closer. Just a little...bit...more...Common...Common...

I'll fly away, Oh Glory  
I'll fly away; in the morning  
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,  
I'll fly away...WHAT...THE...FUCK?

Kit was lifted by two hands while a pair of muscular legs locked around him. He jerked his head up in stunned disbelief as he looked into the face of a man he was beginning to dislike with each passing breath. "You sorry sonuvabitch! Put me the fuck down!" He jerked but Rick held tight, grinning at the kid's anger. "Bastard! Let me go, you sorry old sonuvabitch...Let me go and I'll see if I can scrape your nuts off my knee!"

"Keep talkin' tough guy! Izzy, Go right! Right!" Rick grinned like a lunatic as the balloon veered right yet again, as Kit threw out every filthy word Rick had ever heard and then some. As soon as Rick was satisfied, he looked down at Kit and said. "You know what Junior? If you cooled off you'd live longer!"

Kit glared up at him. His eyes crystal blue daggers. "GO TO HELL MOTHER ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Rick smiled when he saw Kit hit the oasis pool and heard the audible SPLASH! "Izzy turn this tub around and set her down."

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) February 11, 2003**  
If there was anything Rick was not going to do it was to let the screaming, kicking, dirty, selfish, immature scraggly little snot in his arms down, much less let go. Even if it was the last thing he did Richard O'Connell was not going to let Kit get away from him again. They were going to sit down and have a nice long talk when they made camp and this time Rick was going to get some answers. Maybe he would ask Evelyn to come with him. He could tell that the kid was sweet on her.

Now Rick had had some tough times when he was a kid, and had probably seen more that Kit had, but the kid had it where it counted, that much he could tell. If he wasn't always kicking him in the balls, kneeing him in the groin, or plain and simple annoying the hell out of him then maybe he could grow to like him, maybe even love him. He viewed Kit sort of like the challenge of coming to know Jonathan, only a sharp mouth and about two hundred right hooks harder.

In light of recent events Rick knew that the two of them had been acting extremely immature, but he had to hand it to the kid, he certainly could handle himself in a fight… For right at that very moment he was clawing and scratching Rick's arms so hard he thought Kit might be breaking the skin through the light shirt he was wearing.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity Izzy landed the god-forsaken craft in the sand and Kit and Rick bounced jarringly to a stop, both trying to get up to escape the scalding hotness of the desert's floor after being in the cool pool of the oasis. Kit who was still entwined in Rick's limbs could not get up and finally gave up and collapsed into the heat and Rick's arms. Then, something extremely odd happened. Kit became extremely quiet. Not a peep, which was unusual for him with his instantaneous comebacks. Then, Rick noticed that he was shaking. _Was he actually crying? Kit…Mr. Tough-Stuff_? A quick look down at him confirmed Rick's worst fears. Indeed he was crying. _Had he hurt him that badly_? He didn't think so… He had seen what Kit could withstand, and he had not been squeezing him that hard. _Holy SHIT! Did I make him cry_? Rick's thoughts were coming fast.

"Hey Kit… are you ok?" Rick nudged him gently.

"Leave me alone… I am fine." With that he started to struggle again.

"Kit…did I hurt you?" Rick asked emphatically.

"You…? Hurt me? You couldn't even hurt a fly if you wanted to!" His fist had come very close to hitting Rick square in the jaw.

"Oh… I see, and that is the reason why you can't get away from me!" Rick yelled as he ducked again.

He was beaten, and he could no longer hide his sobs. "Just for once, leave me alone." Sweat was running down his face, mingling with his tears.

"Oh not so fast Kit! I am not leaving you alone unless you are dead and in a grave. Not after what you just pulled! I will talk to you, but I am not going to leave you alone. We need to talk. If we are all going to accomplish what we came out here to do we need your cooperation. You can not really think that you can do this all by yourself?" Rick stared at him incredulously. "You may have managed thus far alone, but this is something you can't do alone, and you know it. For once, be reasonable. I know this is hard to hear, especially coming from someone you seem to despise as much as me but let me be the voice of reason for once, your father, your mentor. Together, and only together we can accomplish this task; and I don't want you going and barging head-first guns blazing before we question this Alan Skarzinski. We need to have him answer a lot of questions… Your Aunt and Jonathan need their explanations just as badly as you do, if not more so. They are in your shoes too, don't forget that when your anger overtakes you."

For once Kit did not flinch when Rick made a reference to him being his nephew. Maybe this was going to work. Maybe Kit could forgive them, maybe, just maybe he could learn to love again. The two of them got up, and Rick, extended his hand out towards Kit. Kit hesitated at first but then eagerly took it up, and Rick embraced him in a hug, slapping him on the back. Meanwhile Evelyn, Jonathan, Izzy, Ardeth, and Alex had gotten off the Titanic ship and were standing watching the unbelievable phenomenon before their eyes—Rick and Kit were actually touching, without hurting each other!

Evelyn stepped up to her husband's side, kissing him on the lips and then whispering in his ear—"I am so proud of you Rick!" Then she lowered herself and kissed Kit on the forehead. "Welcome to the family Kit. We are truly glad to have you here!"

**Emilee - February 25, 2003**  
Boy, Jonathan could definitely tell that he'd been in the desert too long. After all his years of experience he'd learned to tell the key signs of loosing his mind from what Jonathan liked to call 'desert-phobia'.

Thought of that all by himself, he did.

One of the signs was when he started getting Alex's name wrong, which the kid really didn't appreciate. After Jon had called him Lance seven times straight without even noticing, Alex just started walking away when his uncle walked up to talk to him.

The other really big sign, among others, was when he started talking to himself.

"Bloody hell...it's hot...

damn straight it is...

I wonder where the hell Lance, Charlie...no Alex! I wonder where Alex is?

He went that way I think.

Oh that way? Over there?

No, other way.

Oh right.." Jonathan told himself as he walked up to his nephew and sister and beamed proudly at him.

Alex looked over at his mother, "Muuuuuuummmm...Uncle Jon is really freaking me out..." he whined.

"Oh well just give him a cookie and maybe he'll go away." Evelyn replied offhandedly as she read from the book on her lap.

Jonathan stuck his tongue out at his sister, then cursed because that was another sign that he was going loony.

Looking up Jonathan saw that Alex was still staring at him, "What?"

"Have you been taking your medication Uncle Jon?"

"Left it at home..." Jon mumbled.

Alex groaned and stalked over to see what Kit was up to.

* * *

_A/N: Please review! :)_


	11. Batch 11

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan)**** March 1, 2003**  
After a long day of travel in the hot desert sun, the weary group of travelers made camp along side the Nile. After the tents were set up and a fire was built, Evelyn ushered her brother into one of them to have him get some rest, worried that the sun and the stress of trying to find Skarzinski had gotten the best of him.

While Evelyn took care of her brother, Rick, Ardeth, and Izzy whose Dirigible they had to leave behind at the Oasis due to a hole in the main lining of the canvas balloon, talked about where they wanted to go tomorrow. It had been shear luck and nothing more that the group had found camels herding close to the oasis, or else they would have been doing all their travel by foot.

With the men talking about tomorrow's travel, Kit had found a spot by the Nile to sit and relax and think about his own plans. These people were already becoming too attached to him, and he didn't like that. He was alone now and alone was how it was going to stay. From the pack on the back of his Camel, Kit now had a pack of cigarettes. He lit one then put it in his mouth, drinking in the smoke. He shut his eyes as he puffed it out, and was starting to relax when a small voice said, "What's that like," Kit opened his eyes to find Alex standing in front of him.

Whether it was because he didn't want to describe to Alex what it was like to smoke a cigarette, or because he wanted to make Rick angry with him, Kit pulled one out of the shiny package, and held it up for Alex to take. "Take a smoke and find out," he said.

Alex took the cigarette in his hand, looking around. He wasn't sure about smoking, and was about to say 'no', when Kit's comment changed his mind.

"You going to let them scare you away from trying something new?"

Alex imitated how Kit held the Cigarette then let him light it. He put it in his mouth, took a quick suck and blew it out. "This isn't that bad," Alex said, trying not to gag at the horrible taste the smoke left in his mouth. He sat down next to Kit, hoping maybe this meant they were friends.

Kit chuckled. "You're wasting a perfectly good cigarette doing it that way. You want to inhale it into your body, that's the way it relaxes you."

Alex drew in another mouthful of smoke and then inhaled. Promptly he choked and instantly dropped the cigarette. He felt his face redden as Kit started to laugh, then felt his blood go cold when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

Finding it too quiet around the fire, Rick realized that Kit and Alex were no where to be found. He made a quick check in their tents then decided to have a look by the Nile. Finding his thirteen year old son with a cigarette in his hands was not something Rick was all that happy to see. "You go back to your tent. The only place smoke will be coming out is your butt when I get done with it," Rick said as he shoved Alex in the direction of the camp. Once he was gone his eyes locked on Kit. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't smoke those while you are around my son," Rick said, trying to maintain his anger.

"Well I'd appreciate going on my merry way, but we all can't get what we want now can we?" Kit asked as he put another cigarette in his mouth and lit the end of it.

Rick glared at him. "Look we can either get along or I'll make your life with us for the duration of this trip a living hell," he said as his voice began to rise.

Calmly Kit blew the smoke out of his mouth. "Too late, you already did that. All I got to relax me is my pack of cigarettes. Here have one it may help you relax," Kit said holding one out, knowing he was making Rick even more angry, but not seeming to really care.

Instead of taking the cigarette Kit was offering Rick took the pack and threw them in the Nile, and got a reaction from his young nephew.

Kit jumped up from his seat by the Nile no longer relaxed. "God damn you. Do you know how much money that cost me?" he yelled. "I am not some kid like Alex. I'm Seventeen years old and man enough to make my own decisions. So if I want to smoke I can smoke. If I want to have a whole tent full of girls to fuck I can have that too. Go to hell and take your family with you, cause I don't need any of you." With that he took the pack of cigarettes and stomped away yelling "O'Connell."

**Penny - March 1, 2003**  
"WHAT?" Rick snapped watching as Kit retreated.

"O'CONNELL?" Kit shouted again.

"I'M RIGHT HERE WHERE YOU LEFT ME, KIT!"

"O...CON...NELL!" he shouted to the heavens. Only it wasn't God or Allah who shouted back.

Rick growled, fed up at the lack of response his nephew was showing him. "WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"

Kit stopped, pivoted on a boot heel and glared at the man who kept shoving himself down Kit's throat at every opportunity. "IT SURE AS HELL AIN'T YOU, DUMB ASS!"

"DAMMIT! THEN WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP SHOUTIN' AT ME?"

"I AIN'T SHOUTIN' AT YOU STUPID! I'M CALLIN' MY DAMN CAMEL!"

Rick rolled his eyes, throwing up both hands. "You're a real piece of work you know that? My sister must have been real pleased to have you around." As soon as the sarcasm came rolling off his tongue, Rick wanted to bite it off. He saw the look flicker in Kit's eyes for just a second. As soon as it came, it was gone. "Kit I..."

"You know what I just figured out about YOUR mother, O'Connell, the best part of you ran down her leg." Kit turned and walked off, leaving Rick to stand there and stare at his retreating form.

Later that night after everyone was asleep, Kit reached into his back pack and pulled the flash light from his pack. He unscrewed the cap at the bottom and the heavy golden staff slipped from it's hiding place. It wasn't much more than a foot long and laden with carved hieroglyphs. He ran his fingers over each one taking in their appearance and feeling the rough texture. What bothered him, was each time he held it, it a little bit grew warmer in his hand.

_Grandpare_ had told him there was a reason behind it. Then the old man started talking about the Chosen One and how he alone could destroy the Scepter of Seth. Ramblings of a scared old man, Kit thought and toward the end, _Grandpare_ had been scared. No, terrified was more like it...always looking over his shoulder. Taking the long way home, when it would have taken them twenty-five to thirty minutes to drive it, they wound up getting there in a couple hours.

As the scepter grew warmer in his hands, again his Grandpare's words came back to haunt him. "Guard this with your very life Kit. If you don't your Mother and Father will have died in vain, just as the Carnahan's and countless other's have. Keep it close to you. You'll know when the time comes what to do, but you must be brave child. You must be brave and keep your wits about you. Remember the power is in your hands."

"_Grandpare_, how am I supposed to know what to do? Why couldn't you just tell me?" he whispered as he stared at it. Kit finally sighed, knowing he wouldn't get an answer and he slipped it back in it's hiding place in the flashlight and shoved it deep into his rucksack.

He fished out old Aswad's journal next. This should be interesting he thought, trying to decipher those hen scratches of that old man was gonna be a long painstaking pain in the ass, so when he opened the journal and read the name on the inside cover, his mouth fell open in shock. Adinah Carnahan. AW SHIT! HE HAD THE WRONG BOOK! WHERE WAS IT? DAMN! He chilled suddenly, as he looked at the first page. It was like some one had stepped on his grave and he had a feeling he should not read from the book.

**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) March 1, 2003**  
He slammed the book shut and stared at the cover while arguing with himself. There were two reasons he shouldn't read it. First, it wasn't his to read, and second, he was pretty damn sure he wouldn't like what he would learn from it. Like his Aunt Evelyn, his curiosity overrode any feelings of caution. "Hell, it's only a damn book," he thought to himself. "Words never hurt no one."

He'd been using the small amount of fire light coming in through the open flap of his tent and would need better lighting now that he'd decided to have a close look at Adinah's journal. With the journal in one hand and the rucksack in the other, Kit quietly walked the short distance to the fire and sat beside it with his back towards the other tents. He opened the cover and read the two simple words on the first page; _Journal One_. He turned the page and began reading. It was a detailed description on the legend of Seth and his scepter. His Papere told him this story many times when he was younger, so there was no point in reading about it. He turned to the middle of the journal and began reading. This part told him where to find the scepter. He looked to his rucksack and gave a snort. Obviously, this part was already taken care of, so he turned to the last few pages of the journal and began reading.

_The walls of the temple depicted two different scenes. One of a man holding the scepter with what appears to be a red glow coming from the top. Seth is standing in front of the man, offering him the symbol for eternal life; the ankh. The other, a man holding the same scepter, but with what appears to be a white glow coming out of the top. This man is being observed by many of the other Egyptian gods; Osiris, Isis, and Horus, just to name a few, but these gods do not interfere or offer temptations. According to hieroglyphs, there are three types of man. The highest number being the average man who has no power over the Scepter of Seth. Then there are the two types that do have the power over the scepter; those with the pure heart, and those with a heart of black. There are directions on how to determine which of the three categories someone would fall under. With the scepter held in both hands, one of the following must be said:_

For the pure of heart:

My heart is pure and possesses no evil,  
Show me the light in the color of white

For the heart of black:

A heart of black I do possess,  
Show me the light in the color of red

After deciphering the new papyri scrolls that we have found on our most recent dig, I now know how to "activate" the scepter for both good and evil. This may seem as if it would be a simple step by step process, but Seth was no fool. As Seth intended, using it for evil would be a simple enough process, but to destroy the Scepter of Seth, you must first call forth the evil. Both ways begin with the same directions and the same chant. I am still working on translating the directions, but the chant, which I have written below, must not, under any circumstances be read aloud unless the person is ready to face the consequences.

Kit skimmed over the ancient foreign words, not even wanting to hear them in his head.

Once these words are read aloud, the sands will rise in a circular sandstorm locking in the one who has spoken these words and locking all others out. The heavens will part and a thunderbolt will strike the ground causing it to shake and split open as the power of Seth is unleashed. The person will have the great power of Seth at his disposal. It will take great courage, strength, and a strong will for the one with the pure heart to not allow themselves to be lured to the side of evil due to the incredible thrill of having the power of the universe at your disposal. In fact, it is Seth's hope that the pure hearted one will fail this test of strength.

He studied the page to the right, which had a sketch of the wall she spoke of. It looks as though she copied down every last hieroglyphic symbol and every detail of the wall. He turned to the next page; the last page to be exact, preparing to read the part about how to destroy the damn thing. Nothing. Blank. "What the hell?" he thought. "Just as I was getting into it. Those Egyptians really had a hell of an imagination. Hopefully one day I'll find the next journal and find out what happens next," he thought, wanting to convince himself that this all was a load of bullshit. But then, out of sheer curiosity, he reached inside his rucksack and pulled out the flashlight. He gave a quick look around, extracted the scepter, and looked at the two different chants. With the way he'd been acting lately and the way he'd been treating the O'Connells after they'd been trying to be nice, the big dumb ape O'Connell excluded, he figured he'd be more on the side of the not-so-pure, to put it a nice way.

After quickly memorizing the few words, he stood up and held the scepter out with two hands. He looked around once more only to make sure nobody saw him making an ass of himself. He cleared his throat and kept his voice low so he wouldn't wake the others. "A heart of black I do possess / Show me the light in the color of red." He held his breath as soon as he finished and waited. After a minute, he let out the breath and felt relieved, even though he told himself that he didn't believe any of this crap.

"Now this one is a no-brainer," he thought as he got ready to do the other chant. "Pure heart," he snorted, "If I ever meet someone with a pure heart, I'll kiss the big dumb ape full on the mouth."

He held the scepter out with both hands and in a silly voice laced with humor, he said, "My heart is pure and possesses no evil / Show me the light in the color of white."

The scepter shook lightly in his hands. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as a bright beam of white light shot out of the top of the scepter and lit a never ending path up into the heavens. "Holy Hell!" He immediately let the scepter go and the beam of light disappeared. He looked down at the scepter, which now stood motionless in the sand. He heard some movement and immediately threw the scepter back into the flashlight and shoved the flashlight into the rucksack. He grabbed the still open journal by the back cover and practically threw himself back into his tent. He thought about what had just happened. The white light meant that he was the one with the pure heart who had to destroy the scepter. "Ah shit," he mumbled. He had to find that second journal so he would know what to do. "Shit." Then he remembered what he said he'd do if he ever came across a pure hearted person. He turned his face into his sleeping mat and punched the ground with a muffled "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" He dared not leave until morning and soon, fell into a fitful sleep. In his haste, he did not notice a folded piece of paper fall out from the pages of the journal. It now lay in the sand to the left of his tent.

Morning had come too soon, in Kit's opinion. He climbed out of his tent, eyes still practically closed, and stretched. He opened his eyes and saw Rick building up the fire again, most likely so breakfast could be made. "Well," Kit thought, "might as well get this over with, especially since no one else is around to see it."

Rick stood up. "It's about time you got up. Why don't you make yourself useful. Evie and Alex are packing up, Ardeth is getting our breakfast, and Jonathan, well, Jonathan's probably still sleeping."

Rick watched as Kit stomped over to him, hands fisted at his sides, mumbling the whole way. Rick looked at him with a funny confused expression wondering what the hell the loudmouth would say now. Instead, Kit took a deep breath, led it out, grabbed Rick's face, and gave him a loud smacking kiss right on the mouth.

"WHAT-" Rick began spitting, "THE HELL!" He began wiping his mouth on his sleeve and spitting some more.

At this point, Kit was practically on the ground laughing. The expression on the big ape's face was priceless. As soon as he stopped laughing so hard, he explained. "Let's just say I made a bet against myself and I lost, big time."

"The next time you make a goddamn bet, pick someone else to plant one on!" Rick yelled.

Just then, Evie came out of the tent and Kit looked at her, smiling and wiggling his eyebrows. "You know, your wife is pretty hot."

"She's your aunt for cryin' out loud!"

Kit was having too much fun baiting Rick. "Only by marriage, not by blood."

"You get anywhere near my wife, the next thing you'll be kissing is your own ass." Just then, Jonathan finally came wandering out of his tent. "You can kiss him all you want though," Rick said pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Jonathan. Kit snickered, then Rick snickered. Then they both started laughing.

"It's good to see you too getting along," Evie said as she walked by them. She gave Rick a quick kiss on the cheek and ruffled Kit's hair. She saw something in the sand by Kit's tent and bent to pick it up. She unfolded it and began to read.

_My darling Jonathan and Evelyn,_

She recognized her mum's handwriting immediately and began hyperventilating as she clutched the letter to her heart.

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) March 9, 2003**  
_My darling Jonathan and Evelyn,_

A man lead by the lust of power is not to be trusted. Alan Skarzinski is one of those men. I see it growing in him daily. His eyes become darker each time I look at him, their depths consumed with need. I don't really know how much time we have left I know this sounds horrible, and frightening, and I only can wish that my fears are unprecedented.. Your father has become quite concerned about Alan. His want to find the Scepter of Seth for himself is destroying him. At even the mention of the scepter or of anything resembling a gold rod his demeanor becomes almost demonic, his personality taking on a sadistic gleam. One thing is true children… If you ever find this tool, this weapon to mankind, you must find a way to destroy it… I only hope we aren't too late. I only hope we can be back with you soon, encircling you two in our arms and whispering of our adventures… How I long to be with the two of you, to see your smiling angelic faces. This dig has become too involved for me. Your father feels the very same way, and it's taking the energy out of the both of us…We just want so desperately to find the Scepter and to destroy it before Alan can lay his hands on it. Goodbye for now my children. Remember that if anything happens to me I love you more than life itself. Your father wants to say something,  
Love,  
Mum

_**Dearest Jonathan and Evelyn,**_

How are you two doing? Your mother and I miss you very much, and soon, tomorrow in fact, we will be seeing you again. We do not mean to scare you with this letter, we only hope that if there is some need to contact you, for any reason that you will know you are loved and cared for. I think that your mother covered pretty much all that we had wanted said. I have to make this fast, Alan's coming…Remember angels, we love you, soar high, and always contemplate…we know you will.

Love,  
Daddy

Evelyn's hand went slowly up to her lips, because on the paper, preserved for approximately two decades were two pairs of lips. The letter literally had been sealed by a kiss. She recognized her mother's red lipstick on her father's thin lips, and her mother's fuller lips following suit beside his. A single tear slipped out of each eye, and slowly made its way down her cheeks. Her hand tightened its hold on her mouth as her eyes squeezed shut and a muffled sob came from her throat. Then, seemingly getting herself under control she thrust the letter into Jonathan's outstretched hands before she collapsed into Rick's arms.

Meanwhile Kit and Alex stood hopelessly off to the side, both awkward, not knowing what to do, or quite what had happened. It was in this moment that Kit realized he needed to help this family. And, he thought. _I'm the only one who can._

* * *

_A/N: Please review!_


	12. Batch 12

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) March 10, 2003**  
Alone in the tent Rick and Ardeth had been ready to take down, Evie sat lost in the past. The letter opened up painful memories of that horrible time so long ago, and Evelyn wasn't prepared for the new pain. After word of her parents death had been sent to she, Jonathan, and Nana, and after the funeral, life for she and her older brother had been tossed into limbo. They had enough money to sustain their needs for a while, but their age and lack of close relatives to care for them properly became the issue. It was finally decided that Howard's older sister Margaret Lillian Carnahan would take care of them until they were old enough to care for themselves.

Outside the tent, Jonathan stood holding the letter in his hands, not noticing anything or anyone around him. He remembered what it had been like the weeks after his parents were murdered, the many nights when he would find Evelyn under her bed crying because she thought that they too would be murdered. He remembered how in that one moment he became the man of the house, and how he felt the welfare of his baby sister fell upon his young shoulders. He looked at Alex who took his hand, but was unable to offer the boy any words of comfort or otherwise. "I need time to think," Jonathan said as he let the letter fall to the ground.

He left the small camp site, going the short distance to where the camels were waiting. Jonathan sat down on a small rounded stone, and rested his forehead on his knees. He wanted justice, and he would get it even if it meant his own death had to come as a result. As he sat in the warm morning sun he thought of Gabrielle, and what would happen to her if he died. She was the one woman in his world and in the other who he felt understood him, and he decided that he wouldn't die, and leave her behind. Instead he would make Alan pay for the pain he had caused all of his family.

In a different world, in a past where life seemed much simpler, Gabrielle sat by the portal, finding it difficult to stay awake. She felt guilty for yelling at Senbi, but he was so irresponsible at times, that it was difficult for her not to yell at or lecture him. Alone with her thoughts she found she was focusing on Jonathan, and as she thought of him she felt a strange sensation wash over her; a sadness which until a few moments ago was not there.

Something wasn't right, and she idly wondered if she should abandon her post and risk going through the portal to find him. As she thought about doing just that, another feeling washed over her, one of deep foreboding, and somehow she knew that she had to stay in her own time for now; that her duty was to make sure no one from the future passed through to change her time, and destroy the lives of those she loved. "Be well Jonathan," she whispered as she shut her eyes, trying to picture him in her mind as she had last seen him. She sent her thoughts through the fabric of time hoping that he would sense her and draw comfort from the knowledge that she was there for him if not in body then in mind.

Rick knew his wife needed time alone, but unfortunately that was not a luxury any of them could have. After fifteen minutes he walked over to their tent and bent down. When he entered he found her laying on the ground curled up in a ball. He quickly moved beside her and as he lifted her into his arms he felt her shutter then sob against his chest. "I'm here Evelyn," he said.

Evelyn clung to him both in sadness and frustration. She felt she had cried all the tears she could, and yet here she was babbling on like a baby. After a few moments she took in a few breaths then lifted her head away from him. "We need to go Rick. I want to find Alan, and I want him to pay for what he has done to my brother, to me, and to Kit," she said as she started to pull away from him.

Rick didn't let her go quite yet, and after a moment of resistance she settled down beside him. "Evie, I think it's best if you and the boys go stay with the Med-jai. This man is crazy and I don't want you getting anywhere near him," Rick said.

"No, I want to be with you Rick. I know about the scepter, and about the power it possesses. I'm the only one who knows how to destroy it, and I owe it to both of my parents to be the one to see that happen," she said. She was about to say more when Jonathan called out to enter.

Having overheard O'Connell, he decided to support Rick this one time. "Evie I think Rick is right. It's clear that Alan isn't thinking like a normal chap with love toward his fellow man. I think that you should stay with Alex and Kit and let Ardeth, me and Rick take care of him once and for all," he said.

Evie suddenly pulled away from Rick and stood up hitting her head on the overhead support, which held up the tent. She ignored the pain and starred at both her husband and her brother. "What is this? Both of you know how strongly I feel about stopping Alan from gaining the power of the Scepter, and as well it's destruction. I will not sit around twiddling my thumbs while I wait for word on whether or not you or Rick has succeeded, or have been killed," she said as she stepped out of the tent leaving both men behind. "Alex, Kit. Get the Camels ready. We are going to end this once and for all," she said as she walked toward where the two boys were sitting, fully enraged that her husband and her brother were acting like two overprotective cods.

**Desiree - March 25, 2003**  
"We're near the tunnel." Jonathan was looking longingly in the direction of his love, so near, yet so far in the past.

"I know..." Ardeth also wanted to be with his loved one. "But we cannot stop, for we must find Alan Skarzinski." The Med-jai despised even his own rationality.

Evelyn was about to tell her friend and her brother how sorry she was that they could not be with their loved ones when Rick spotted something in the distance, "What is that?" The alarmed tone in Rick's voice caught the attention of Ardeth who looked fixedly into the distance.

"It is the Med-jai! We have caught up to them at last. We can rest with them tonight, and tomorrow they can help us to find Skarzinski. They seem to be making camp, but we must hurry, for it is never wise to approach a Med-jai in the dark hours of the night."

"Yeah, I know." Jonathan rubbed his neck in remembrance of a sharp saber of Ardeth's that had once lay there.

"I am sorry, Jonathan, but you did, in fact, surprise me!" Ardeth defended himself, but only with a slight grin of amusement on his face.

"Yeah, well. We should be able to reach them within the hour, and I'd say that's about when the sun'll go down, so it works out anyway."

"God! Another hour!? I'm fucking tired now!" Kit yelled out his grumpy dissatisfaction.

"Kit! Watch your language!" Evelyn would not stand for a dirty mouth.

"I'd listen to her if I were you- you don't want to mess with her when she's tired. Believe me, you don't." Kit was about to argue again when the truth of Alex's words sunk in.

"Another hour of these bloody Brits..." Kit sighed to himself and continued on his camel through the desert, "another hour..."

"Ardeth! My friend! What took you so long?" A strong-looking man dressed entirely in black robes approached Ardeth with his hand outstretched.

"It is a long story, but a story for another night. We are tired." Ardeth took the old Med-jai's hand and shook it warmly.

"Of course- there is some ground open over there for you and your friends. Sleep well and we will talk in the morning." The old Med-jai smiled and walked away.

Ardeth turned back to his companions, only to see Kit staring intently at a man on the ground several yards away. Rick, Evie, Jon, and Alex followed his gaze.

"Kit? What is it?" Evelyn walked to Kit's side. "What's wrong?"

"That's him. That's Skarzinski." Evie looked over and saw a haggard looking man slumped in the sand.

"What?! Are you sure?" Evie's blood started pumping quicker as Kit started walking towards Alan.

"Positive!" Kit shouted out a cry of anger, frustration, and pain as he ran towards Skarzinski and attacked him head on. The adolescent tackled the man and left him sprawling on the ground. "You bastard!"

Alan Skarzinski began to stand up after being seized by the boy when another blow hit his other side. Jonathan sat atop the surprised man and started beating him with all his might. Alan managed to scramble out of Jon's grasp and run for dear life towards the sun.

"He's headed for the tunnel! Rick! Ardeth! Stop him!" Evelyn started running after her parents' murderer, crying and screaming the whole way.

Hearing his wife's call, Rick called to Ardeth to get a horse and help him. The two men clambered onto their steeds and galloped off after Skarzinski who was halfway to the tunnel by then. As the two raced past Evie, Alex ran to his mother and helped her run the rest of the way to the tunnel. "C'mon Mum!" Alex and Evelyn ran as fast as they could through the sand to the tunnel where the slaughterer was hiding.

"I'll get you, you sonuvabitch!" Kit was hot on the heels of Alan when Skarzinski suddenly disappeared into a tunnel. "What the fuck?!" Kit had barely any time to think before Jonathan came racing past him and disappeared into the tunnel as well. Kit sighed, "What the fuck" and followed the two men into the passageway.

"Shit! They've gone through the tunnel!" Rick cursed.

"We must find him! He cannot be allowed into the past!" Ardeth reared his horse on and hurried into the tunnel followed closely by Rick.

Alan Skarzinski scurried through the passageway and ran right smack into a skinny and creepy looking man. Senbi went flying backwards into a wall and passed out from the wound in his head. Alan looked down briefly and then went to hide behind a wall. Where the hell was he? What the hell was this place?

"Where is he? Where are you, you bastard?!" Jonathan appeared at the entrance of the tunnel and looked around vigorously for Skarzinski because Jon was dead set on revenge. Just then, Kit appeared from the tunnel as well.

"What the FUCK?! Jesus! Where is he?! Where is that mother fucking murderer! I'm gonna kill him!" Kit was out for blood.

"I dunno! We've lost him!" Jon looked around desperately.

"FUCK!"

"Kit! Watch out!" Jonathan leaped across and pushed Kit out of the entrance of the passageway as Rick and Ardeth came hauling ass out of the tunnel on their horses, taking no prisoners.

"Where'd he go? Where is he!?" Rick was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"THERE!" Kit pointed toward the tunnel as Alan Skarzinski ran once again through it to the future.

"I've got him!" Ardeth started his horse towards the tunnel and was almost to the access where Alan had just crossed when Evelyn and Alex appeared out of nowhere and obstructed the entrance. Ardeth's horse reared and very nearly avoided killing Evie and Alex, both. Ardeth and Rick were stopped in their tracks as Kit ran head on to the tunnel only to slam right into a brick wall.

"FUCK! What the fuck?!" Kit got up and started kicking the wall angrily.

"Kit! Stop it! The sun's gone down- the tunnel is closed!" Evie was trying to control the upset young man, but her emotions were too stretched, and she gave up and fell limply to the ground. Alex sat down next to her and hugged his mother close.

"What the FUCK!? What the hell is going on?!" Kit stopped screaming as all his energy dissipated at the realization that it was over, for now.

"That tunnel is a channel into the past, or future, and we are now stuck in ancient Egypt for the night because the tunnel will not open until tomorrow morning at dawn." Ardeth sighed as his blood slowed and his head cooled. He looked around slowly, "Senbi?"

Senbi gave out a moan of pain as he slowly came back to consciousness, "What happened? What's going on? Is the tunnel closed?"

Rick only heard the last question, "Yes, the tunnel is closed." he answered in utter disappointment and regret.

"Good- I can go back now." Senbi slowly rose and walked groggily toward his hut.

"What?" Ardeth was confused. When Senbi didn't answer, the Med-jai shrugged his shoulders and walked resignedly after him.

The whole group walked on in tired disappointment, and Kit was fuming over losing Skarzinski. Rick and Ardeth were walking their horses slowly through the desert with Alex in tow. Jon and Evie walked together, silently consoling each other. Senbi's hut appeared over the hill, and Jon caught sight of Gabrielle, "Gabrielle!"

"Jonathan!" The two lovers ran into each other's arms and embraced. When the group caught up to them, Gabrielle, all grins and tears, looked at them with both surprise and relief, "Oh, thank Allah, you are here!"

"Gabrielle, what is it? Is something wrong?" Evelyn sensed something was happening.

"What is it? Where is Nefret?" Ardeth was worried about his wife.

"Ardeth, oh- Nefret's just gone into labor..."

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) April 3, 2003**  
It wasn't difficult for Gabrielle to get her love, and his family a hut close to the one where Nefret was laboring. In the neighboring hut, while most everyone else rested, Evelyn sat awake, waiting for word on Nefret's condition, and pondering about the letter. It seemed as though the paper containing the words of her dead parents appeared out of no where. However she knew that it came from someplace, and she wondered where. The other thing on her mind was the state of mind her parents had been in on the expedition where they had been murdered. Deep in her heart she knew they were in a better place, and knew that they likely watched over she and Jonathan, keeping them out of harms way. Over the years, the near misses, the brushes with death which had come had been avoided, in part by Egypt's ancient Magic, but in part also because she knew they kept she and her family safe.

A strong hand on her shoulder drew her attention away from her parents, and Evelyn looked from the stone table where she was settled, to the worried _expression on her husbands face. "I'm all right," she said, offering him the best smile she could muster.

Having been married to Evelyn nearly fifteen years, Rick knew when she was all right and when she was not. "I thought maybe you would like to talk about today," he said as he took a chair next to her.

For a moment Evelyn glanced away from Rick. The feelings she had experienced when seeing Skarzinski had been foreign to her, and she wasn't sure how to deal with that. "I've never wanted to kill another living person before, but this evening when we saw him, I wanted the satisfaction of taking his life. I wonder what my mum would think about that," Evelyn said. Though she was part Egyptian, living in England she had been brought up in the Christian faith, and believed that when her parents died their souls traveled on to heaven.

"I'm sure she is very proud of you Evie. After what he did to them, it's not unnatural for you to want to see the man die, and if I would have had a chance I would have done that for you," he said as he reached and wiped a smudge of dirt from her left cheek.

As he began to move his hand away, Evelyn reached out and held it there, needing the reassurance of his loving touch. She took his hand and moved it over her lips kissing him there before letting it go. "I was also thinking about the letter. It just appeared, as if it was meant for me to find it, but that's impossible isn't it?" she asked, needing to have the answer as to the origin of the piece of paper.

Rick sighed. "I don't know. This land seems to be full of mystery," he said, feeling a bit of shock as he finally admitted that there were some things that went on which he couldn't readily explain. "Where did you find it?" he asked.

"It was near the fire, across from Alex's tent and Kits," she said as she glanced over at her son and her nephew, wondering if the young boy knew where the letter was from.

Before she could go and ask him, Senbi ran in. "Trouble, the baby is in trouble," he said as he hopped from one foot and then the other, then ran out the way he came. Evelyn stood up with Rick at her heals and both of them ran out not realizing that Kit had overheard their conversation.

**Emilee - April 3, 2003**  
Jonathan hadn't really known what to think about the day's trouble. And it wasn't as if he'd never been in this type of situation before, oh no, Jonathan was prone to trouble, to adventure and to getting in over his head. But today was different. Today seemed sadder than his past adventures, more frightening and stressful, and Jonathan winced when he realized why.

There were more people involved in his life now. More people to keep track of and care about, Gabrielle especially. Jonathan couldn't let too many more people get involved in his life or else he'd just have too much to worry about and it would take over his whole bloody existence.

But now there was this new baby of Ardeth's, and Jonathan would have to baby-sit, buy it expensive baby...diapers and what-have-you, and care about the little buggar. It didn't seem he had much power to stop new people from coming into his life, but he did have the power to stop people from leaving it.

His parents deaths affected him more than he let on. It wasn't something Jonathan liked to talk about...even more so than his sister Jonathan felt like he should have been able to do something in it all.

Jonathan was thinking about all this as he sat outside the hut leaning against the wall and drinking from his whisky flask. He didn't hear Gabrielle emerge from the hut door he was near, but should have expected it, there wasn't much place you could hide in this big family where nobody would come and call on you.

"So when are we going to have one of our own?" Gabrielle's voice came from somewhere above him.

Jonathan nearly pulled something trying to spit out his whisky and turn around to face her as he was sitting all at the same time. He looked up at her with a painful expression as he forced a swallow, coughing and choking. "One of what?"

Jonathan's hand found Gabrielle's and he tugged her down next to her, pulling just a wee bit too hard and sending his darling to the ground on her arse quite hard.

The next thing she said was also spoken at an inopportune time, while Jonathan was taking another pull from his flask. "One of what Nefret is having right now."

Sputtering and choking was heard throughout the whole desert. Senbi even popped his head out the window where he was tending to Nefret to give the couple a repressive glare as Jonathan fought to keep himself composed.

"What the bloody hell do you want one of those little buggars for?! Have you gone loony while I was gone, Gabrielle, honestly! You're mad!" Jonathan finally yelled.

She laughed and wiggled in closer to him, linking her arm with his and leaning her head on his shoulder, "Oh, Jonathan, because it's a cute little buggar. Don't you want a big family?"

Jonathan scowled at her, "I have already got one, thank you very much. No need for more diapers around, pooing on things and-"

"You are so...silly, Jon, they don't poo on things, they have diapers, you just-"

"That is beside the point, love. The point is...wait why are you even talking about this? I refuse to discuss this with you, it's not nearly relevant to the goings on of...right now." Jonathan was confused himself by the end of his sentence, but nodded firmly, fully intending to stick with his plan not to discuss it.

But Gabrielle didn't seem to be making any move to argue with him. She merely shrugged, laughing a bit, as she kissed him on the jaw line. "...well of course, I should be worrying more about when you're going to give up and ask me to marry you..." she said softly into his ear, before getting up and picking up a basin from the front door.

Jonathan watched, mouth wide open as she started off into the night, towards the stream by the hut. He scrambled to his feet and started after her, "Gabrielle! We need to discuss this!"

* * *

Please review!


	13. Batch 13

**Desiree - April 5, 2003**  
Alan Skarzinski ran as fast as he could- 'What was that place?' he thought to himself. As the ragged man raced towards camp, the Med-jai started coming towards him in what Alan liked to call the "angry-mob" position. The Med-jai had seen their old friend Ardeth pursue this stranger and knew that something was wrong. Alan sensed that he was not welcome and decided that the best idea was to make a run for it, even though he was tired as hell. Skarzinski saw that his belongings had already been picked up and put out of sight for safe-keeping. Alan started hurrying towards the horses and saw that they were being protected by a group of Med-jai. Alan knew that he had no escape, so he held up his hands in a sign of surrender and was immediately swarmed with some younger men who were tying his arms behind his back.

The chief Med-jai walked up to Alan, "I do not yet know why my friend, Ardeth Bey, has the want to kill you, but I cannot allow you to leave without his consent. Ardeth will be back in the morning, and until then, you are to remain a prisoner." Alan would've answered, but he had already been bound and gagged and pushed towards a tent.

"Now, listen here, Gabrielle. I don't know where you got this bloody idea that I was going to ask you to marry me, 'cause it's a load of hogs wallop..." Jon was freaked out at the thought of another person to love, protect, and maybe lose.

"You mean you don't want to marry me?" Gabrielle completely understood how Jon felt, but she loved scaring him and giving him a hard time, so she feigned a hurt look and tone of voice.

"No, I didn't mean that... I do want to marry you!- Someday... just..." Jon was seriously struggling.

Gabrielle was giggling uncontrollably now, "I know, you idiot! I know you better than that! I know you're a commitment- phobic!"

"Gabrielle, I..." Jon searched for the words.

"I know, Jonathan. I know. I know you love me and that you want to be with me, and I know that you know that I love you, too." Gabs finally let him off the hook.

"I do love you, Gabs. You know that." Jon smiled about how well his woman knew him, "I missed you."

"Oh my Allah! I missed you too! It's been the underworld here with just Senbi and an emotional pregnant woman! I swear, I love Nefret and I'm really happy that she's having a baby with Ardeth and all, but the woman can get bitchy!"

Jon laughed heartily and smiled at the woman he loved. It was right then that he knew. He wasn't afraid anymore, and he wasn't sure if he had ever been- maybe he was just afraid of being afraid, he didn't know: all he knew was that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman; he wanted to protect her and watch over her and love her more than anything he'd ever wanted in his entire life. Jon looked into Gabrielle's smiling eyes and he knew that she was the one for him.

"Jonathan?"

"Yes?" Jon was caught up in his decision and turned his head away for a moment. Gabs caught his chin, turned it towards herself, and the two joined in a sweet yet passionate kiss.

Jonathan pulled away from Gabrielle and looked once more into her eyes, shining bright in the desert dusk of ancient Egypt. "Gabrielle?" he got down on one knee. Gabrielle's beautiful eyes widened in shock, "Will you marry me?" When Gabs was too shocked to reply, Jonathan kept talking, "I realized something when I saw you again: I'm not a, a ,uh, a commitment-phobic, you know?! Not anymore. I'm not afraid, Gabrielle. I'm not afraid! I want to be with you for the rest of my life! I want to protect you, not that you'll need it, mind you, but I want to protect you and make you happy! I want to get married and have kids and be with you forever! I'm not afraid, Gabrielle. I want you... I mean, I, I need you... and, well, I love you, Gabrielle..."

Gabrielle started crying out of pure joy and broke into a huge grin, "Oh, Jonathan! Yes! YES!"

Jonathan stood up and hugged his new fiancé to his chest, "Oh, Gabrielle, I love you!"

"I love you, too! I always have!..." Gabrielle was a teary mess, but Jon didn't care, he leaned over and kissed Gabs's soggy face and tasted the salty sensation of joy. The two embraced with complete and utter happiness in their hearts.

"Oh, here..." Jonathan pulled out two rings from his pocket and slid one onto Gabrielle's left-hand ring finger, "These were my parents' wedding bands."

"They're beautiful..." Gabrielle cried some more when she saw the ring go on her finger. He loves me... "Here, let me." Gabrielle took Jonathan's father's old wedding band and slid it onto Jon's left- hand ring finger. Gabrielle broke into another set of happy tears, and rested her head on Jon's chest. The two stood, hugging and smiling, until it occurred to Gabs: "Oh! We should tell everyone! How long have we been gone?"

"I dunno. Who cares? We're together." Allah, he loved her.

"Oh, Jon." Gabs smiled wide and Jon's heart melted. "I want to tell Evelyn. Oh, everyone'll be SO happy!... except Senbi."

Jonathan gave a hearty laugh- "You're right- I wanna see that bastard's reaction." Gabs jabbed him in the side for cursing about her brother, but then the two started smiling and laughing uncontrollably at the comical thought. "It'll be great..."

Gabs and Jon walked into the kitchen of the hut only to find Evelyn washing her hands while Rick was boiling some water.

"Where have you two been?" Rick looked annoyed at having to watch water boil, but he was also nervous about witnessing yet another birth- those were intense, man.

Gabrielle and Jonathan looked at each other briefly, but Gabs couldn't hold it in: "We're getting married!"

"What?!" Evelyn was shocked.

"Yeah! Jon just asked me and I said yes and now we're engaged!"

"Oh my Allah! That's magnificent!" Evie walked over to Gabs and gave her a huge hug, "Hey! We'll be sisters!" Evie started crying with joy- her brother was getting married!

"Hey, congratulations, Jonathan. You guys'll be very happy together." Rick, smiling widely, came over and gave Jon a manly-man type hug, then moved on to Gabs and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Rick- I know we will be." Jon was beaming.

"Oh, this is wonderful! A baby and an engagement all in one day!" Evie hugged her brother close.

"Hey? What's going on?" Kit asked the question as Alex, Senbi, and he came walking in to see what all the ruckus was about.

"Gabs and I are getting married." Jon got to break the news this time.

"NO!" Senbi shouted out his first thought, but quickly recovered, "I mean, uh, congratulations..." He walked to Gabs and gave her a hug then gave Jon a very awkward handshake, "Uh, you're, uh getting a wonderful girl, you know." Then, with a very serious sincerity, "Take care of her."

Gabs smiled as Jon answered, "I know, and I will. Thanks, Senbi."

"Uncle Jon! That's so great! Can I be best man or something at the wedding?" Alex's first thought, of course, was for his own self-interest.

Jon laughed, "Of course you'll be in the wedding, Alex- you're my favorite kid- you know that!"

"Hey, congratulations to you both." Kit was surprisingly polite and quiet as he genially shook Jon's hand and then hugged Gabs and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Kit." Jon saw the sincerity in the young man's eyes and was truly touched. "Thanks."

"Oh, well, we have to get to work- the baby's coming any moment now. Rick, is the water boiling?" Evie had to concentrate now to the task at hand, even though her heart was over-flooding with joy at her ever-growing family.

"Yeah- finally!" Rick was glad not to have to watch water anymore.

"Ok, um, Gabs? Could you go fetch Ardeth for me and send him to the main room? Jon- you stay with him and try to keep him calm, um- Gabs, stay with Nefret and put cool towels on her head." The two nodded and got to work at their new tasks and tried to sober up in preparation for the birth, "I'll finish washing up. Alex, Kit, are all the sheets torn?"

"Yes mum, they're all ready." Alex was eager to help.

"Ok, let's get going..."

A young Med-jai walked in to wake up the head Med-jai. "Sir? Sir?" The older man woke up with worry on his mind.

"What happened? What's wrong?" A Med-jai is not waken without reason.

"Sir, the prisoner has escaped..." The old Med-jai mumbled something incomprehensible, "Oh, and Sir?"

The old Med-jai was getting up with a concerned frown on his face because the escape of this prisoner could not be a good thing, and he answered offhandedly, "Yes? What else?"

"He's taken the Black Book with him..."

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) April 13, 2003**  
After Gabrielle had left to help Nefret, Jonathan went to go sit with Ardeth as Rick, Evelyn, Kit and Alex continued to make preparations for the birth. Her contractions had started eight hours ago, and she was beginning to get tired of the pain. Her muffled moans could be heard through the window of the hut they were in now. Evelyn sped up the heating of the water as much as she could by coaxing the flame under the pot a little higher, and Alex and Kit frantically ripped more sheets, just in case they were needed. Just as she was lifting the pot from the fire Senbi came running in… "Trouble, the baby is in trouble!"

"What!?" Evelyn shrieked. "What do you mean in trouble?"

"Well something's wrong!" Senbi's face had gone ashen and he fell to the ground, cold.

"Come on Evie, let's go!" Rick grabbed her hand, and with the other hand grabbed the pot of water, slamming a lid down onto it to keep the heat in. "Alex, Kit, stay here…"

They quickly raced out the door and into the other hut where Nefret lay on a straw pallet on the floor. Her nightgown was bunched up around her waist and she was lying in a pool of blood, screaming, in agony.

Evelyn turned her head away for a moment in shock, too dumfounded to speak. Her hand went up to her mouth as her eyes squeezed shut, but then she regained control over herself and bent over the screaming, sweating, shaking Nefret, and grasped her hands. She spoke in Arabic "_Come on Nefret, breathe, honey, breathe. After you have done that you need to tell us exactly where it hurts, ok?_" She got a meager nod in return. Ever so slowly Nefret's breathing returned to normal, but her grip on Evelyn's hands did not slacken.

She took a deep breath, and let it out. "_It hurts all over… Everywhere… I am scared Evelyn, what's happening_?"

"Gabrielle, get Ardeth, just in case..." Her voice trailed off as she diverted her attention back to Nefret, "_Just hold on Nefret, we are going to figure this out, just hold on._"

Rick squated down on the straw at Nefret's side, not liking the surprising turn of events. He had witnessed many births in his life, but he wasn't too keen on any of them, especially when they went wrong, and by the looks of this one, something was terribly the matter.

"Rick, do you think it's a breach?" Evelyn's eyes were filled with fear.

"I think that's exactly what it is, and something has to be done, but without being in London we can't wait, I am going to have to help deliver it Evelyn. But, I need you to stay right where you are with Nefret, and I need you to tell her exactly what I am going to do, as I am doing it."

"Oh God Rick, you really think it's that bad?" He just stared at her, his eyes betraying everything. She gasped, but then turned to Nefret on the floor while Gabrielle had a cloth wet with water and was washing her face, cleaning the sweat from it, trying desperately to cool the poor woman down.

"Nefret…Nefret?" Evelyn repeated when she did not get a response. Nefret's eyes were clamped shut and her jaw was clenched as she fought against the pain. Evelyn squeezed her hand gently and that seemed to rouse her. "_Rick is going to try to help you, but this is not going to be easy. It's going to hurt a lot because he has to…_" she paused.

"_He has to what Evelyn_?"

"_He has to reach inside you to get the baby. It might be the only way to stop you from bleeding and to save your child, it's a breech birth, and the baby's head is not going first like it's supposed to. Just be strong._" Evelyn could see her eyes go wide when she told her what was going to happen, and she truly felt for her.

"_Oh Allah, help me here this day_!" Nefret prayed.

As Rick moved into position Ardeth entered with Gabrielle and they took their positions on either side of Nefret. Ardeth stroked his wife's belly as Gabrielle continued to dab Nefret's forehead with a cool cloth. Ever so slowly Evelyn watched as Rick's hand slowly disappeared into Nefret's body and winced when Nefret's fingernails dug into the soft flesh of her palm. There was a moments silence and then there was a scream so heart-wrenching that Evelyn could feel the tears coursing down her cheeks as a result. Rick's satisfied grunts could be heard from in between Nefret's legs as he grabbed hold of his purchase.

"It's all going to be over soon, I promise." Rick said, and Evelyn repeated the words to Nefret in Arabic.

Rick could feel his hand finally clasp around the two little ankles as he began to pull ever so slowly. He had learned that pulling too fast could cause one of two things or both. First it could cause extreme internal damage to the mother, and it could suffocate the baby, so slow and easy it was. Nefret's screams in the background were no help at all, but he could feel the baby's pulse in its ankle so he knew that everything would be fine in just a few moments. When the feet came out Rick switched his grip to the torso and then pulled until the baby was resting in his arms, screaming, but yet very much alive. One of its arms was broke, but that was to be expected, breech births were extremely dangerous without a doctor present. It was at that moment when the baby had been pulled free that Alex and Kit rushed in from hearing all the noise with the sheets they had torn up, and they were able to wash the baby. The umbilical chord was cut and Ardeth was presented with a beautiful baby girl. But Rick knew that they had to get out. Nefret was still bleeding and the baby's arm was broken. It was not the happy occasion that all parents wish for.

"_Asyria._" murmured Nefret.

"_What?_" whispered Evelyn.

"_Asyria, that's her name. I give it to her in remembrance of my sister._" With that Nefret passed out. She had lost too much blood, and was in desperate need of some help.

**Toni~Isis (pen name Lovisa Devereux) April 25, 2003**  
Alan Skarzinski stumbled through the desert. The Black book wasn't that heavy, but it was essential that he had it. Knowing those mad people, they would try and kill him, and he needed the book to aid him in his task. Why had that skinny chap jumped on him earlier? He didn't even know the bugger. But when he found him, he'd be going to meet the guy down stairs first, then the other kid who'd called him a bastard. In his memory, he had a glint of recognition. Wasn't that the kid who's parents he killed? The O'Malleys...Yeah, it was them. The damn kid was going to meet them soon.

Muttering to himself, he continued to walk until he felt the strong urge for blood again. He needed to kill...He longed to kill...And he wouldn't be happy until he killed those people who tried to foil his evil plans.

Everyone was panicking, and that could not be unexpected. Nefret lay there, unconscious, and she was loosing more blood. The baby was in Evelyn's arms and was fine, apart from the broken arm it had received during the breach.

"Mum! What's going on?" shouted Alex.

"Everything's okay sweetie, just that we need to get some help for Nefret."

She looked to her husband. "Rick, what are we going to do? She needs urgent medical attention."

"Ardeth is gonna have to take her back to our time. Meanwhile, we're gonna have to do our best to clean her up now." Rick instructed all the men to leave, as he did, whilst Evie and Gabrielle used the bandages the boys had prepared to stop Nefret's bleeding and to make a sling for the baby's arm.

As Evie placed a damp cloth on Nefret's forehead, Nefret began to mumble. She was coming to.

"Nefret? Nefret are you okay, wake up!" shouted Gabrielle.

"Ummm...Asyria...okay...Ardeth-"

"They're fine, you need help though. Were is it still hurting?" asked Evelyn in the ancient language. Nefret showed the English woman where it hurt, and spoke.

"Where is my Ardeth? My baby! Is she okay?"

"Yes, they are all fine." said Gabrielle as she tried to calm down her friend. Evelyn called Ardeth and Rick in.

"Is Ardeth going to take them back?"

"Yes. We need to make sure though that-"

"That, that goddamn son-of-a-bitch doesn't some back here! If he does then I'll beat him so bad that when he wakes up he'll have brain damage!" shouted Kit angrily from the next room.

Jonathan sat in the next room with Alex and Kit. Kit was so past his normal happy-self that Jonathan was scared even to talk to the lad incase he got a fist in return.

"When I get my hands on that goddamn murderer, I'll beat him within an inch of his life!" shouted Kit.

"Then I'll finish him off!" Nodded Jonathan. He was so angry that he couldn't even describe it. He now shared the feeling that he guessed most business partners felt towards him in his own time: The longing for blood.

He was going to make that man pay for what he had done to his family.

And so it was decided, as soon as the sun came up, Ardeth would take Nefret and Asyria back to his own time. Kit, Rick and Jonathan were going to keep watch on the time portal in case the murderer was wanting another beating. Alex and Evie were going to stay with Gabrielle until there was a sighting of Skarzinski, then they were going to all hunt him down.

* * *

Please review!


	14. Batch 14

**Penny - April 27, 2003**  
Everyone was asleep, dog dead tired he realized, from the birth of the baby and taking care of the mother, who still may loose her life, Kit thought sadly. Poor little Squirt. It was hard to grow up with out your Mom or your Pop, either one for that matter, he thought as he tiptoed to the door, past the cradle, where the baby slept.

When Asyria started to fret, he grimaced looking quickly around making sure no one had heard her. It sure as hell wouldn't do any good if someone woke up and saw him heading toward the door now, when he was so close to his freedom and Alan Skarzinski. Asyria fretted again and he went to the cradle and looked at the tiny bundle. She screwed up her face, ready to cut loose with a wail, Kit thought, would no doubt wake the population of Bumfuck Egypt, but would turn the inhabitants of this hut upside down and mess up his plans to escape back to civilization from the stone age.

He reached into the cradle, scooping her up in his arms, as his eyes darted to the people that slept in the room. "Shhh, _cher'_. Hush now," he whispered. "You're gonna wake the gorilla, _cher'_, then he'll eat ya! You want that big monkey to eat _le petite cher'_?" She looked up with large bright eyes and stared at him, instantly quieting. "Naw! I didn't think so. I wouldn't want the big monkey bitin' my ass either!"

Again Asyria screwed up her tiny face, ready to cry. "Shhh! I'll knock out his teeth for ya, okay?" he smiled. "Come on, let's you and me go sit down someplace quiet." He walked into another room. No one was here and that was good. If no one was in here, they wouldn't wake up. He sat with her in the far corner on the dirt packed floor. Kit rocked Asyria taking in her tiny features. She had the Med-Jai's dark eyes. Eyes that were so dark brown that they were almost black. She also had a head full of her Pops dark hair, he grinned, but other than that, she looked like her Mom, at least from what he could tell.

Her eyes grew large as she in turn and in her own way, seemed to take in everything about him. Asyria waved a tiny fist in the air, and managed to grab a handful of sandy blonde hair and tugged, as babe and teenager watched each other in total silence. He gently pulled the hand away and looked at the fingers, almost as if he were committing each tiny line and fingernail to memory. "OOO-WEE, _cher'_. You got some teeny weeny fingers. How you ever gonna paint them boogers, huh?" She laid there watching with as much wonder in her eyes, as the young man that held her. Kit smiled and began to sing softly to her.

"As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good old way  
And who shall wear the starry crown  
Good Lord, show me the way!"

"Oh sisters let's go down,  
Let's go down, come on down,  
Oh sister's let's go down,  
Down to the river to pray."

"You like that _cher_? My Mom, she taught me. She loved to sing. So did my Pop. They could have sung on the radio, they were so good, but Pop was too busy chasin' the bad guys and Mom, well she taught music, ya know...What? You want more? Shoot _cher'_ I got me a voice like a hippo with a sore throat!...Huh? Okay, if you say so. Here goes."

"As I went down in the river to pray  
Studying about that good old way  
And who shall wear the robe and crown  
God Lord, show me the way!"

"Oh brothers let's go down,  
Let's go down, come on down,  
Come on brother's let's go down  
Down in the river to pray."

She clutched his finger in her fist, still watching him. "I wonder what Mom would've had?" he asked absently. "My Mom was gonna have a baby when she was ki...when she died, so...well...you know...But don'tcha fret, _cher'_. Her and Pop and _Papere_, why...they're all helpin' with that little one. And you know what? When I get done doin' what I have to take care of...See me? I'm gonna help 'em too."

"As I went down in the river to pray  
Studying about the good old way  
And who shall wear the starry crown  
Good Lord show me the way!"

"Oh fathers let's go down,  
Let's go down, come on down,  
O fathers let's go down,  
Down in the river to pray."

Kit continued to rock and sing softly to her, while she cooed at him and blew tiny bubbles.

"As I went down in the river to pray  
Studying about the good old way  
And who shall wear the robe and crown  
Good Lord show me the way!"

"O mothers let's go down  
Let's go down, don't you want to go down,  
Come on mothers, let's go down,  
Down in the river to pray."

"Wonder if she'd of been pretty like you, _cher'_? Me and Pop, why we'd have had to beat them ol' boys off with a stick! Shoo-wee! Your Papa, he's got his work cut out for him...He better sharpen that scimitar right now, _zuRar mela 'ika_. That means Little Angel, in Arabic. Betcha didn't know that! Yeah it does... Naw!...I wouldn't kid you. Betcha your Pop calls you that a lot, when he gets to know you. You gotta kinda look over him right now though. He's worried about your Mama. But like I said. He'll get to know you and _cher'_ you are gonna be so lucky. And then your Mama, she's gonna get to know you and dang! You are gonna have so much love, you won't know what to do," he whispered, as his voice cracked with emotion.

"Look Little Angel. I gotta get. Can't sit here and rock you all night and sing, besides it'll be dawn soon, and I got places to go and things to do." And a bastard to kill, he thought to himself. "So look you gotta go to sleep. Okay? What?...One more verse? Well...Okay can't say no to a pretty girl, I guess. It wouldn't be gentlemanly, but that's all. Just one more."

"As I went down in the river to pray  
Studying about the good old ways  
And who shall wear the starry crown  
Good Lord show me the way!

He watched her dark eyes droop and he kissed her forehead. Suddenly he pulled back.. What the hell was he doing? The last thing he needed or wanted was to get tangled up with these people. NO! NO! NO! He glanced down at her again and shook his head furiously. "No _zuRar mela 'ika_, I'm the last person in Hell, you'd ever want around. Where I'm usually at, people always wind up dead."

He quietly carried her back, laying her in the cradle and covered her with a blanket, then slipped out into the dark. It was still an hour before dawn, but that gave him more than enough time to get too the end of the tunnel. He was glad now, he'd paid attention when they talked about it. It amazed him the big gorilla thought he was too damn dumb to pay attention. As far as O'Connell was concerned, if it cost a nickel to pay attention, Kit couldn't afford to listen. "Surprise Asshole!" Kit grinned as he walked to the end of the tunnel, waiting for the sun to crest the dunes. "Guess what you old knocker? I ain't so dumb after all!" He smiled brightly as the portal opened before him and he saw O'Connell the camel waiting below . As he walked through thinking about his fateful meeting with Alan Skarzinski he began to sing one more time.

"As I went down in the river to pray  
Studying about the good old way  
And who shall wear the starry crown  
Good Lord, show me the way!

"O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN,  
LET'S GO DOWN, COME ON DOWN,  
O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN,  
DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY."

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) April 27, 2003**  
Morning was announced by Asyria's cries, which lasted as long as it took for Ardeth to get up and take her to Nefret so she could nurse. The tired mother could barely stay awake, let alone hold the baby secure enough so she could have her breakfast. She barely noticed as Ardeth settled next to her, gathering both she and the baby in his arms, slipping his arm under the baby, who finally settled down.

The new father looked down at the tiny baby, amazed that she was his, that he had a part in creating her, and knew that he would protect both of them at all times. He saw movement in the left far corner of the room, and saw Evelyn enter with fresh linens for both mother and child.

Seeing Ardeth holding Nefret and the baby in his arms, took Evelyn back quiet a few years to when Alex was a new born. At times such as this she missed those times, when she could hold him in her arms, and protect him, knowing where he was almost all of the time. These days she counted herself lucky if she even got a hug from him. He was at that stage in his life where he saw motherly affection as something to push away. "How are they fairing this morning?" she asked as she made her way to their pallet. As she drew closer she saw how pale Nefret looked, and wondered how they would get her back to the Med-jai village.

"Asyria is doing well. Nefret..." He broke off as she stirred, and leaned his head to her right ear whispering to her softly in Arabic. She spoke something, barely audible, but Ardeth understood her need. "She is thirsty," he said looking back at Evelyn, as the baby began to stir in his arms. When Evelyn offered to take the baby he agreed, but only after both he and Nefret gave her kisses, and reassurances that they would see her soon.

Before Evelyn even started out of the small room Nefret and Ardeth were sharing, she as well as anyone within a ten mile radius of their cottages heard Rick's booming voice.

"I'm going to kill that Little Shit!"

Only Asyria, whose tummy was now full of her mother's milk seemed not to notice that he was less than happy, and was content to rest against Evelyn's shoulder as she was carried into the main part of the hut.

When she entered the room where she, Rick, Alex, and Kit had slept, she found her husband pacing, while Alex sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Evelyn took a few more steps to the cradle and laid Asyria on her side, then covered her with a blanket before going to her husband. "Rick?" she asked, not sure what Kit had done this time.

"He's gone Evie. I give him a break, thinking he realizes he can't take on Alan Skarzinski on his own, and he betrays my trust. I'm going after him, and when I get my hands on him," Rick said as he marched over to their supplies, and began gathering things up for his journey.

"I say what is all the yelling for," Jonathan asked as he walked into their hut with Gabrielle behind him. He watched as Rick stuffed things haphazardly into his Rucksack, and realized they were short a person. "I see Kit has done another vanishing act," Jonathan said as both Evelyn and Rick glared at him. He turned and looked at Gabrielle. "I think we should give them time to sort things out. What say you and I find something to eat?" he asked as he took her hand and pulled her away, knowing that right now being around his brother-in-law could be harmful to his health.

Once Jonathan was away, Evelyn walked over to her son. "Will you go help them?" she asked, needing to be alone with her husband, so she could try and cool him down, and get him to see things more clearly.

Like Jonathan, Alex knew when to leave his parents alone, and after allowing his mum to give him a hug and kiss, and even returning it, he walked out of the hut, in hot pursuit of his uncle and Gabrielle.

"Rick, we need to think this through..."

He cut her off. "No, we don't. Kit is heading to his funeral, and I owe it to my sister to keep him on this earth. You help our friends here, and I will be just fine," he said as he finished packing and zipped up his bag before slinging it over his shoulder. Evelyn's hand taking his and pulling on him knocked Rick off balance, and he stumbled, hitting his head against the edge of the table before going down, saying a stream of other cuss words before it was all over with. His hand went to the bump forming on his forehead as he looked at his wife, amazed that she had been able to do all of that. "Well, you got me off my feet," he finally said as he let his anger pass.

Embarrassed that she had done such a thing, Evelyn was at his side in an instant. "I am so very sorry, but sometimes you don't stop to think," she said as she sat down next to him.

"I know, that boy has a way of making all of my rational thought fly out my ears. We do need to get to him before Alan does, but we also need to get Nefret and the baby to a place that will help them," he said as he put his left arm around her shoulder, pulling her to lean against him.

"I need to take them back to my village," Ardeth said, coming to see what all of the commotion was about.

Rick thought for a moment then came up with a plan. He sent Ardeth after the rest of their group, then after getting back to his feet, and helping Evelyn to her's, he told her what he was thinking.

Far away from the portal, and from his Uncle's fury, Kit road O'Connell the Camel in the hot desert sun, whistling the tune to the song which he had sung to the baby that morning, thinking about his parents. He felt angry at himself for getting even a little bit attached to them, knowing that he was better off alone, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he somehow belonged with them. "Ahh, that's hogs swallow, I belong with no one but me," he said as he gave his ride a pat. "So O'Connell, why don't you and I take a break, I don't know about you, but I'm so hungry I could eat a gallon of sand.

When given the command, O'Connell the Camel lowered to the ground, allowing his rider to step off. He laid still as Kit put up a small tent, so that he could escape the heat of the sun, then accepted the little bit of water Kit gave to him.

"Yeah, you and me. All I need is this," Kit said as he looked out at the land ahead of him. It all looked the same, nothing but sun and sand as far as the eye could see. "I'll tell you something, after I get done with that bastard, I'm going to dance on his grave," Kit said as he took a bite of dried beef, then chased it down with a swallow of water.

His rest only lasted twenty minutes, then once again they were on their way to finding and fulfilling Kit's destiny.

On the other side of the portal, two groups went their separate ways. Ardeth, on camel with Nefret more or less cradled against his chest, heading for the Med-jai Village. Behind him, Evelyn had fashioned a harness to hold the baby, and was on a camel of her own. On his left side Alex road on his own camel, wearing an angry expression on his face, not pleased that he wasn't going with his father and Uncle to help rid the world of Alan Skarzinski. Gabriel and Senbi were staying behind, to wait for everyone's return, and for the battle to end.

Going the way Kit was traveling, toward the East, Rick and Jonathan road on horseback, hoping to catch up to the youth, though both knowing that he would likely reach Hamunaptra and Alan before them. Neither of them had much to say, both knowing what needed to be done, and so it seemed a storm was coming, and how it would all end, was the only uncertainty which plagued Rick's mind.

**Penny - October 8, 2003**  
Kit blinked, realizing he was starting to doze off on top of O'Connell. He had ridden the better part of the day and he was starting to get sore now. Hopefully that blowing wind that came out of the east, had helped put enough distance between his so-called uncle, and wipe out his tracks long enough, that he could find a place to camp for the night. With real luck, O'Connell wouldn't find him at all. When refuge finally presented itself he was grateful. A rocky outcropping with an overhang that seemed to lead into a small cave and from the size of the opening, he could even stash his riding partner in side.

"BUDDY," he hollered in the blowing wind. "YOU BETTER DO YOUR BUSINESS NOW AND NOT INSIDE THAT DAMNED CAVE!" Kit realized he only had one problem with the stubborn, obnoxious animal. He wouldn't go inside. "FINE HAVE IT YOUR WAY!" he'd yelled as the wind got stronger. "BE AS DUMB AS HE IS!" He slung his right leg over the camel, grabbing his rucksack and dropped from the camel's back, landing on both feet. "It's your funeral, Dipshit!"

Kit left him standing there and headed toward the opening, while fighting the wind every step of the way. Before he went inside he said a silent prayer to the powers that be, that he didn't have to share his new digs with any asps or scorpions. It wasn't that he was afraid of them, he just didn't want company in his bed roll. It had a tendency to put a crimp in his plans, especially scorpions, since he was allergic to the bites. Just inside the opening he pulled out a small candle and a box of wood matches, crossed his fingers and moved away from the opening and out of the wind. He struck the match and lit the candle, and as the light illuminated everything, his mouth dropped open and he stared in awe at the painted wall of the small obscure temple. "Sonuvabitch," he whispered, recognizing a great number of symbols. His heart pounded against his spine, as he reached out to touch the inscription above the small alter.

_A heart of black I do possess,  
Show me the light in the color of red_

He looked around taking in his surroundings and remembering what he'd read in the book. _The walls of the temple depicted two different scenes. One of a man holding the scepter with what appears to be a red glow coming from the top. Seth is standing in front of the man, offering him the symbol for eternal life; the ankh. The other, a man holding the same scepter, but with what appears to be a white glow coming out of the top. This man is being observed by many of the other Egyptian gods; Osiris, Isis, and Horus, just to name a few, but these gods do not interfere or offer temptations._

He almost whimpered, biting his lip to keep the tears at bay. This was the temple to that bloody bastard Seth! This was where they'd found the damned scepter! His hand shook so hard he almost dropped the candle and he cursed the ancient god, for being the cause of his parents and Papere's death. "I'll send you and Skarzinski to Hell you sumbitch! YOU WATCH AND SEE IF I DON'T! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!" He reached up scrubbing hot tears that started to fall. Somewhere in his head he heard laughing, only there wasn't nothing happy about it.

It was an evil from the beginning of time and he shivered. "Yeah? Keep yuckin' it up, Joy Boy!" he screamed at the laughter in his head. "I can laugh too. We'll see who's got the last laugh when you and Skarzinski is roastin' y'all's asses in Hell!" The pain that went through his skull brought him to his knees, half blinding him and caused his stomach to roll.

Before he passed out, he heard the voice, like a thousand snakes hissing inside his head, speaking in it's ancient tongue. "We ssshall sssee, Little One."

**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) October 11, 2003**  
Ardeth's astute gaze fell upon Evelyn and Alex once again. Alex watched his mother with a worried expression. Evelyn was lost in such deep thought that Ardeth doubted she would notice if the ground suddenly opened and swallowed them up. He slowed his camel's pace until he was side to side with Evelyn. He was not good with communication on personal levels as it was still a very new thing to him, but he was learning.

"Evelyn, what troubles you?"

They stood as a voice came from the corner of the tent. "You gents have a nice little nap?" Skarzinski came out of the shadows and walked towards Evelyn, who was still passed out on the ground. Rick began to struggle at his bindings again and Skarzinski smiled in anticipation.

He squatted down in front of Evie and smacked her awake. "Stand up. It's show time," he practically sang. Her eyes were still a little glazed but she managed to give him a dirty look. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and began to stand. "I said STAND UP!" She had no choice but to follow the direction her hair was going or risk getting scalped.

"GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF HER!" Rick yelled.

"Oh, I haven't even begun getting my hands on her. Why, this one has an even sweeter body than your sister did. But I can't fault your sister for that. She was, after all, five or six months with child."

Evie gasped. "You are a monster!"

He put a hand to her throat and lightly squeezed. "You haven't seen anything yet. Just you wait." His eyes roamed her face. "Nice." His eyes roamed the rest of her body. "Very nice." He looked to Rick and gave a cruel smile. "Your wife has more spirit than your sister did. She will most definitely give me more pleasure." Especially with her brother and husband having to witness the whole thing and not being able to do anything about it he thought.

Rick and Jonathan struggled so hard against the pole that they nearly brought the tent down. They froze as they saw the glint of a blade flash from Skarzinski's side to rest against Evie's neck.

"You keep up that thrashing and I'll kill her very slowly and painfully." He slowly ran the side of the blade down to the V of her blouse, ready to slice it open.

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A/N: Please review!


	15. Batch 15

**Penny - October 11, 2003**  
_"Hey Sleepy Head, I thought you wanted to hear this story?"_

"I do, Mama. Head just hurts. Didn't mean to go to sleep. Please don't stop. Tell me again what happened," he begged, as she brushed a cool hand down his fevered cheek.

Carrie Anne O'Malley smiled down at her young son. "I declare, Kit, I'm surprised you don't think you're too old for bedtime stories. Especially this one, my lamb. Although, if your father was home tonight, I imagine he would be the biggest dog in the puddle and would no doubt be sitting right there next to you listening."

Eight year old Kit snuggled against his mother with a chill. His throat felt like he'd swallowed ground glass and his head hurt something fierce. The doctor had told his parents that it was a bad case of scarlet fever and he'd had it a full week already. "But it's my very favorite story, Mama. The good guy versus the bad guy and the good guy saves the world. It's better than the movies at the Rialto on Canal Street on Saturday. Please Mama?"

Again she smiled down at him. "Alright, but then you have to rest," she soothed, she took the folded wash cloth off his forehead and dipped it into the wash basin next to the bed and then wrung it out, refolded it and placed it back on his forehead.

He nodded with a grimace when he tried to swallow. "I promise, Mama."

Carrie Anne brushed aside a strand of sandy brown hair that had fallen across his forehead and began her story. "Long ago in an ancient place there lived a young man of the realm. He was the most handsomest and bravest in the kingdom, but he was small. His best and most trusted friend was a powerful mage."

"That's a wizard, huh Mama?"

"Yes Lamb, he was a wizard," she smiled. 'And one day the wizard came to see the young man on urgent business. It was of the gravest importance. Years before a magical amulet had been found, by a relative of the young man, who now possessed it. Well it seems the amulet could bring about great destruction and the wizard told him that the magic amulet had to be destroyed and the young man was the only one that could do it. Otherwise, if a powerful warlock who was also looking for it, got his hands on it first, then all hope would be lost for the realm, but he told the young man that the amulet would tempt him to wear it and that he must be strong and resist the urge to put it on.

"He then told the young man, the amulet had to be destroyed in the fires of a mighty volcano. For the only thing that would destroy it was the fire from there and the magic words. It was the only way to save his family and the realm. At first the young man was worried. "What can I do?" the young man wanted to know. "Look how small I am. How can I defeat a powerful warlock?

"But the wizard put his hand on his little friend's shoulder and told him. "Have no fear for the power can be held in the smallest of things." So that night, the young man gathered his sword, his rucksack and the amulet and started on his journey. Days turned into weeks and months turned into years, for the young man, but still he kept on with his quest. His realm and family depended on him.

"He had had many hardships and he was weary, his heart heavy, for the warlock had put so many obstacles in his way, as he continued to find a way to take the amulet from the young man. Then one day he found himself on the final leg of his journey, his quest was almost through.

"He had come to the volcano, but first he had to find the alter of the warlock. For that was where he would take the final step to destroying the amulet. Higher and higher he climbed, searching every nook and cranny in the mountain. And it was no easy task, for the ground shook and groaned beneath his feet as if it were a living, breathing thing, while the volcano itself, rumbled deep in the heart of the mountain."

"He was brave, huh Mama? I bet he wasn't scared of that old warlock."

"Oh, but he was, my Lamb. He was, because he was afraid that he would fall to the warlock's power and become one of his minions And that in itself would make him just as mean and cruel as the warlock himself, because the amulet was constantly tempting him. 'Wear me,' it would whisper. 'Put me on and I will give you all that you desire.'

"But why didn't he just put it on and ask it to get rid of the warlock and make all the bad stuff go away, Mama? That's what I would have done."

Carrie Anne O'Malley shook her head. "No you wouldn't, my sweet angel. You would have fought the warlock and temptation, too. Because you know right from wrong and what the amulet was whispering was wrong in every sense of the word and just like you, the young man knew it. He couldn't let the evil win. So under the watchful eye of the warlock, he tricked him into letting him into his shrine, telling the warlock that for him to give him the amulet, the alter had to be made ready and a spell had to be spoken. So the young man took salt, and pepper from his rucksack to sanctify the alter, then with that done, he spoke the charm to rid the world of the warlock and the amulet forever."

"Seth God of Chaos and demons,

Touch not me nor mine,

Thy power I drain into this brine.

Pepper sting demon, rouge or thief,

Who so breaks this bond finds grief.

I mean it for this sill and door,

And all this land forevermore.

I say these words my spell to wind.

And with this spell, this land I bind.

So he who steals it, though far away,

Will have no rest by night nor day.

And once he's bound, then he shall see,

The Hell fires of all eternity."

The dream faded, as Kit's eyes suddenly popped open and he pushed himself up, to sit on the cold stone floor. "That's it! That's it Mama!" he whispered at the darkness. "I got him by the short hairs! I'm gonna roast his ass in hell! All I gotta do is find him and get his ass back here and then I can kill two birds with one stone! And this time he ain't gettin' away with nothin'!"

He could almost feel her gentle caress on his cheek, when he heard her whisper in his mind. "_Hurry, my Lamb. Your family needs you_."

Kit stood up, looking around and managed to find his rucksack and the candle. "Don't you worry Mama. Soon as I get this bastard taken care of, I'm comin' home to ya." Quickly he found a safe place to stash his rucksack, out of sight. When Kit dealt with Alan Skarzinski, it would be on Kit's terms and his alone. He took one last quick look around and headed out to find O'Connell. The sand storm was over and he climbed aboard , not realizing he was going back in the same direction he had come. All he knew was when he found Skarzinski, he would find a way to lure him to this little hole in the wall and wax his ass permanently.

**Shelby (pen name Eviefan) October 29, 2003**  
With the sandstorm over, the hot desert sun once again beat down on Kit as he road toward his destiny. He didn't have any idea where he was going, but some unknown force was driving him. There was danger ahead of him, yet he had no fear. He knew what needed to be done, and he was prepared to do it at all costs. Now as the camel road on through the endless desert sand, Kit whistled the tune of a song called Angel Band, while patting his left pants pocket. Before starting on this journey, in anticipation that he might actually find Skarzinski, Kit ripped out a few pages of the Journal he had in his possession, to use as a bargaining chip to lure the sorry Son of a Bitch back to the Temple. "It won't be long now," he said, as he thought of his parents, and of the last time he had seen them alive. Before he could dwell on that time, in the distance he made out a campsite. As he drew closer Kit realized at long last he was within minutes, of getting his hands on the man who had caused him such pain, and almost instantly his heart began to beat a little faster.

As if the Camel could read his thoughts, he began to snort and shuffle in the sand, and Kit immediately calmed himself down. "Easy, we don't want to let em know we are here," he said as he reached out and patted the side of O'Connell's neck. As he got closer to the camp site, he saw a few horses, and began to wonder if this was where he needed to be. Just to be on the safe side, Kit had O'Connell stop, and dismounted several feet from the tent, then gave him a smack, sending him on his way. Without even realizing it, he reached into his pocket, rubbing his hand over the rock, with which the pages of the Journal he possessed were wrapped around. A voice caught his attention, and a wide smile spread over his face as he recognized the one who was talking. This was it, it was now or never.

He was within inches of the tent, when another voice caught his attention and he realized with dismay that the big Ape's wife was in there with that madman. Her words chilled him to the bone and for a moment all he could do was stand there as memories of his own mother's death came flooding back. "Please don't do this," he heard Evelyn say. When Skarzinski told her to shut up, that was all it took to set him in motion. Before he could blink he was at the entrance of the tent, and with determination, he drew the rock out of his pocket, opened the flap of the tent, then threw it, hitting his target on the back of his head.

A sharp pain on the back of his head, caught Alan's attention and he spun around to see the boy who had escaped his grasp one to many times. "I thought you would have learned your lesson boy," he said as he began to approach Kit.

Before Skarzinski could take another step, Kit raised his hand, wagging it back and forth. "Ah ah ah, you take one more step, and you won't get what you really want," he said, ignoring the shocked look on the Ape's face.

Skarzinski stopped, not sure what the boy was talking about. "And what do you think I want?" he asked, knowing that he was for the moment safe from Rick, or Jonathan's grasp.

"Why don't you turn back around and pick up that rock that hit that melon of yours and get a better look," came his saucy reply.

Without taking his eyes off of Kit, knowing that the boy might get away again, or try something incredibly stupid, Skarzinski backed up, until he was standing over the rock. He picked it up and unwrapped the pages from it and read over the contents, realizing that the boy had the missing pieces he so desperately wanted. " Where is the rest of it?" he asked taking the pages and putting them into his own pocket.

"Not so fast, if you want the rest, then you gotta get em on my terms," said Kit as he folded his arms across his chest, daring Skarzinski to make a wrong move, almost wishing he would so he could kill him and join the rest of his family in Heaven.

"And what makes you think I will go along with what you want? I could kill you here, and still have everything I want," he said, though he knew now that he needed the boy to get the Scepter, and figure out how to work it.

"Because I know where the Scepter is, and you don't." Standing perfectly still, Kit let Skarzinski grab ahold of him, and tried not to wince as the man's hand squeezed tight around his upper arm. "Not so fast asshole," he said as he kneed him in the balls, momentarily escaping his grasp. "You leave them out of this. I'm the one yah really want."

A red haze clouded Alan's vision as he stood up, and again he grasped ahold of Kit. "That was a very stupid thing to do. I'll let you take me to my scepter, then I will kill you, and them," he said as he yanked the boy out of the tent, not realizing that his knife had fallen out of his pocket just inches away from where Evelyn was still tied up. Outside, he let Kit go, long enough to have him get on the back of his horse, then he got on behind him, giving him the reins as he reached into his other pocket and pulled out a gun. "Don't try anything stupid," he said as he held the gun to the boy's side.

Kit held his tongue, knowing that the man holding the gun to his side was truly insane and that any wrong move could end all of this at the wrong time. He didn't answer Skarzinski as they began to ride off, and as a last thought, he hoped that the big Ape and his family would go home, though in his heart he knew if they found a way they would follow him. For that reason he clicked again, making the horse move a little faster, ready to get this over with so he could go home.

~*~*~*~*~

With very little effort, Evelyn was able to sit down and use her foot to slide the knife within her reach. After freeing herself, she cut the bonds holding her brother, and husband, and before she could say a word, Rick's lips covered hers in a heated kiss before he pulled away to look at her. "Did he hurt you?" he asked.

Having the hands of the man who had murdered her parents on her, and just thinking about what might have happened had Kit not come in made her shutter. "No no, I'm fine," she said.

"Good, because when I get my hands on him, I'm going to enjoy killing him," Rick said as he looked around the tent for any of their belongings. "And then there's that damned nephew of mine, what the hell was he thinking?"

"Seems to me that damned nephew of yours saved our necks," Jonathan quipped as Rick turned and glared at him. For once ignoring any threat Rick might dish out, Jonathan voiced his own opinion of the situation. "I think we better leave the arguments for later, and try to find out where they are going.

"The Temple of Seth," Evie said as she came over to her brother with a small piece of the Journal. "He has the Scepter, and I think he means to use it to destroy Alan. We need to get there as fast as we can," she said, ready to take charge.

Working together they got the few supplies left to them, then outside the tent, Evelyn and Rick shared a horse, while Jonathan got on the Camel Kit had named O'Connell, and the three of them set of toward the Temple, to try and save Kit before it was too late.

**Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) February 24, 2004 **  
Alan Skarzinski grabbed Kit by the collar at the scruff of the neck, yanking him hard off of the horse the two of them had been riding. "We're here." He said gruffly, the gun still in his sweaty grasp digging into Kit's temple. Ahead of them stood the Temple of Seth (Heidi, if this is not what it's called please change it to the right name and then delete what's inside the parentheses) bathed in golden sun light standing there mocking them.

"You had better watch where you're pointing that thing." Kit said smugly. "You need me to retrieve the power of the Scepter."

"If you don't shut your mouth now kid you won't have one to shut in a moment!" and with that Skarzinski moved the gun from Kit's temple to right under his chin.

A faint buzz filled Alan Skarzinski's head right as he was moving the gun under Kit's chin and he froze as a vision filled his mind. He was vaguely aware that his hands were warm, and a thick scent permeated the air, sweet and heavy. He looked down at his hands only to find they were dripping a red substance, the liquid running in tiny rivulets down his wrists and fingertips. A look of pure evil crossed his face as he rubbed his hands together, the blood coagulating and becoming sticky as the scent of it filled his nostrils. He would have the boy's blood on his hands yet, before the day came to an end.

Kit, noticing the silence and that his mother's murderer had stopped dead in his tracks, his hands clasped in front of him, pivoted slightly on the mouth of the pistol. "Hey, can't we speed it up buddy, I'm getting tired of waiting for my death."

"Ah yes, your death…" Skarzinski breathed. "Don't worry, I will kill you soon enough, and you will die just like your whore mother did."

With that Kit kneed him as hard as he could in the groin, and Skarzinski's reflexes instinctively brought his hands down to his crotch, and that was all the initiative Kit needed. In a moment of shuffling it was Kit who had the gun pointed at Alan Skarzinski, and Kit needed him for only one thing and then he could dispose of him.

**Hollywood Heidi (pen name JasmineHR) July 2, 2004**  
Their scuffle over the gun had gotten them dangerously close to the steep incline that led to the Temple of Seth in the valley ahead of them. Another couple of inches and they would have rolled the whole way down and most likely broken their necks. Alan, still hunched on the ground, looked up in Kit's direction with murder in his eyes and a twinge of fear went through him as he came face to face with the barrel of his own gun. His expression turned to murder, but not before Kit saw the flicker of fear.

"Now that I have your attention," began Kit, his voice laced with hate, "let's you 'n me talk about something you have in your possession that is rightfully mine."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alan spat out.

"Oh, I know you know what I'm talkin' about. Maybe a bullet in your ass will refresh your memory." Kit cocked the gun and put a little pressure on the trigger.

Alan felt another tingle of fear run down his spine at the look Kit gave him. Though he knew the little bastard had never killed anyone, he didn't doubt the kid would hesitate to kill him.

"You kill me and you'll never find the journal. You have something I want as well; the first journal. Lower the gun and we'll talk about making a trade. I'll even hand over my end of the bargain first."

Kit thought this over. The intense hate he felt had clouded his brain and he was surprised at how ready he had been to kill a man. True, the bastard did deserve to be filled with lead, but if Kit had pulled the trigger, it would have been a cold blooded killing since Alan had nothing to defend himself with and he'd have been no better than Alan. That would mean he would no longer be able to have control over the scepter since his heart would no longer be pure, but his soul could never be black enough for the other extreme type of man who could control the scepter. He was jarred out of his thoughts as Alan began to get up. Kit aimed the gun straight at Alan's still sore groin.

"Move and you'll spend the rest of your days as a eunuch." Alan froze at Kit's words. "Now, very slowly put your hands above your head and lay flat on your gut facing away from me." Alan did as he was told and Kit backed up towards Alan's horse. He held the gun in his right hand trained on Alan and stuck his other hand in the rucksack scrimmaging around. No journal there. He tried the other rucksack. Still nothing. He knew it had to be somewhere near.

"You won't find it," said the smug bastard.

"Slowly stand up and face away from me. Keep your hands where I can see them. Any sudden movements and you'll earn yourself the nickname Stubby."

Alan followed the orders and was now facing the Temple below. Kit kept the barrel in Alan's back in perfect alignment with his black heart and quickly checked him for any other weapons or the journal. He found nothing. Kit's only choice was to agree to the trade. Alan felt the pressure of the gun leave his back and heard the sound of the barrel snapping out of its loaded position. The three remaining bullets that had been in the gun were thrown far to his left rolling down and forever lost in the steep incline; the gun following to his far right. Alan gave a quick smirk of triumph at the boy's ignorant decision of giving up his weapon, then Alan slowly turned around and lowered his arms.

Kit stood with his arms akimbo. "We'll settle this like men on equal ground. No more boom stick. My journal?"

Alan gave a short nod as he made his way to his horse. Kit watched, knowing he'd check the rucksacks carefully and had found no other weapons or the journal. There's no other place he could have hidden them unless he shoved the damn thing in the… Kit looked at the horse's rump and blanched at the thought. He let out the breath he was holding when Alan past that particular part of the horse and now stood next to the saddle. Alan gave Kit a smug look before revealing the journal's secret hiding place, knowing that not even the most brilliant of detectives could have found it. He reached under the back of the saddle and pushed a trigger button that released a compartment that had been perfectly aligned with the saddle's seams. Slowly pulling out the small drawer, he removed the journal that took up most of the space and held it out to Kit. Kit looked at the journal, recognizing it as one of Evie and Jonathan's mother's. He took the rest of the torn pages from the second journal dealing with the scepter out of his pocket and handed it to Alan.

Kit opened the second journal. The first page simply read: _Adinah Carnahan, Journal two_. He turned the page and started to read the left page. It went over the last portion of how the scepter was activated and then into how the damn thing was destroyed. He skimmed quickly and was surprised to find that destroying the damn thing wouldn't be too difficult, just a matter of reciting an incantation and having the strength to not be lured by the incredible feeling of power. He knew he possessed the strength to ignore the lure of ruling the entire world. Too much damned work, he thought. He reached the bottom part of the page with the headline: Incantation and started to read.

_Seth God of Chaos and demons,_

Kit felt jarred as he stared at the first line. Shaking his head at the silly thought and he continued on.

_Touch not me nor mine,_

Holy shit, he thought.

_Thy power I drain into this brine._

He didn't realize he had been holding his breath until he started feeling a little light headed. He quickly read over the three lines again, not believing the connection between this incantation and the story his mother had read him over and over again when he was young. He knew the whole thing by heart, word for word. He'd often times pretended to be the brave young man who saved the world from the evil amulet. He was already residing the next line in his head before he actually started reading it.

_Pepper sting demon, rouge or thief,_

He looked to the page on the right and continued reading.

_believe that there is one man who had been subjected to the Humdai ritual. By deciphering the papyri and hieroglyphs I have found in various locals throughout Egypt, I believe the man's sarcophagus can be found in a place that has been passed off for centuries as a myth; a place that is said to also hold the wealth of Egypt as well as the book of Amun Ra…_

Wait a minute, this can't be right, Kit thought. Where's the rest of the incantation? He ran a finger down the inside crease, now noticing the ragged leftover edges of a page that had been torn out. "What the hell? There's a page miss—"

He stopped mid sentence, his head shooting up as he heard the sound of a gun being cocked. He must have had the damn thing hidden in that damn drawer. "You bloody bastard! I shoulda known you didn't have the balls to handle things like a man!"


End file.
